Paul Coll has held his composure in a gigantic five game battle to win the US Open of Squash. Photo: supplied
New Zealand's Paul Coll had given up on squash winning Olympic status - and says he now has a motivation to keep playing after the sport was among those included in the 2028 Games programme.
The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday approved cricket, squash, Lacrosse, flag football and baseball-softball to be added to the Games in Los Angeles as it looks to tap into new global audiences.
An elite international performer for the last five years at world series and Commonwealth Games level, Coll said he had become accustomed to the door being closed on squash by Olympic officials.
"With squash, we've been trying to get into the past five or six Olympic Games and we almost gave up hope of it to be honest - as players anyway," he said.
"Obviously the organisation was pushing very hard to get in but we got knocked down and we never really got reasons why.
"I just sort of gave up hope so this was a real nice boost and something that gives me a lot of motivation. I'll be at the end of my career then so I've got a nice goal that I can focus on.
"I know a lot of players are like that, it's given them a lot of energy to push for a few more years in their career."
Played in 185 countries, squash's case for inclusion was boosted by its gender equity and its fitness requirements.
Figures show the sport grew by 87 percent in popularity in the United States between 2015 and 2019.
Coll, who is coming off victory at the US Open in Philadelphia last week, says Egypt will be the country to benefit most from the sport's Olympic inclusion, with the country having dominated the top of the men's and women's games for the last decade.
His one disappointment is that only singles will be played in Los Angeles and not doubles, a format in which he has achieved success at Commonwealth Games and world championship level, primarily alongside leading Kiwi woman Joelle King.
Joelle King and Paul Coll of New Zealand celebrate winning the Mixed Doubles Gold Medal Match at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre. Photo: Photosport
If he qualifies, Coll would be among the few West Coast sportspeople to compete at an Olympics, a fact that also inspires him.
"It'd be amazing. I'm a very proud West Coaster so to be able to fly the flag for New Zealand and also Greymouth at the Olympics would be amazing. It would be a nice cap to the end of my career," he said.
"It's one of the biggest things we can do in our sport. Everyone will be fired up for it."
The two-time British Open champion believes he'll still be playing top-level squash in 2028, when he'll be 36, an age he says is not uncommon among players on the world series.
- RNZ
