Nicol David is presently one of Malaysia’s hottest sports properties. Perhaps, she is hotter than the hottest real estate property around the nationhood. While most Malaysians will have to take a really good look before becoming a professional sports person, Nicol shows them how she did it, and why they should do it too.
Nicol was born Nicol Ann David on 26 August 1983 in Penang. She is a daughter to Desmond David, an engineer and Ann Marie David, a teacher. Her first encounter with squash began at a tender age of 5, and at the age of 8 she started to take squash seriously with regular training and involved in competitive games. She received her primary education at SM Convent, Penang.
Her first international win was at Hong Kong Under-13 category. Soon, Nicol began climbing her way up conquering the challenges in the Asian level and world championship.
Nicol began dominating the squash scene by winning the Asian championship as well as becoming the youngest player to become the world’s woman junior champion. She was merely 15 years old and in the process of becoming the junior champion, she beat 3 players who were ranked in the world’s top 20. She won the junior championship twice and became the only 2 players in the history of squash to have achieved the feat.
By the time she reached 16 where most people at that age was honeymooning before sitting down for SPM a year later, she was already making the world’s top 10 list and on her up. Nicol has an invincible track record in Asia after winning the Asian championship 5 times in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006.
In December 2005, Nicol became the youngest world champion after beating Rachel Grinham in the final of Hong Kong Open.
In January 2006, at the age of only 23 years old, Nicol reached a new height when she took over the helm as the world’s number one woman squash player. Nicol is not only the first Malaysian to take over the crown but is also the first Asian woman to be ranked number one.
However, the number one rank was short lived to only 3 months before she dropped to number two after her failure at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Many Malaysian presses predicted further down fall of her and the failure even evoked the wrath of the Sports Ministry. Nicol bounced back with a bang by winning a record 51 consecutive matches and was unbeaten for 13 months before she lost to Natalie Grinham in the Seoul Open final game.
Nicol gained back the world number one status and is still holding it for more than a year now. The Grinham sisters, Rachel and Natalie are currently Nicol’s main nemesis.
Her success in squash did not prevent Nicol to record impressive and outstanding academic achievement. She scored 8As in the PMR (Penilaian Menengah Rendah) and 9As in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). Before the exams, she would be seen juggling her time preparing for the exams as well as practicing and perfecting her skills in court.
On December 2007 (2 weeks ago), Nicol was announced as the winner of the inaugural Asian Sportswoman of the Year winner, beating other competitors who are among 100 athletes and sports persons nominated.
Now a professional squash player, Nicol David is a definite role model for Malaysian and other youngsters around the globe. She trains under a former world number 2, Liz Irving in Amsterdam, Holland. Her desire to succeed has taken her to a territory where other Malaysians consider impossibility. She is also a living legend who proves that you can be exceptional in both sports and education fields. Malaysia Boleh!
Picture courtesy of SquashPlayer.co.uk
Other posts you may want to read:
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- 7 Great Malaysian Career Achievers
- Chong Wei Gets RM3,000 Pension For Life
- Woman a Better Boss?
- Jazeman Jaafar, the Racing Sensation
- 10 Most Powerful Women in The World
- Woman Rows Across Atlantic for Charity
- World’s Top 50 Universities Ranking (ARWU)
Author's bio: Zul is the founder and principal contributor for the SKOR Career blog. He is the author of two books, The Malaysian Job Seeker's Dilemma and Buat Duit Tanpa Kerja Makan Gaji (How to Make Money Without a Job), available in major book stores nationwide. You can reach him at zulkiflimusa[at]gmail.com.
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37 comments ↓
Proud to be a Penangite! I’ve said this three years ago, and I’ll continue saying this again: Go Nicol!!
(If TIME has a Malaysia-only version, Nicol in her sweatful look will be the (Malaysia) Person of the Year on back-to-back annual issues…)
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[...] Nicol David, the world’s number 1 squash player has done it again. She adds another accolade after clinching the Player of the Year in the World Squash Award ceremony in London. This is her 3rd successive award after winning the same award for the last 2 years. Another number 1 squash player (men’s division), Amr Shabana, who is from Egypt, took the men’s award. [...]
[...] Terjemahan dari laman SkorCareer: From a Nicol David to a World Champion. [...]
[...] Nicol is currently one the country’s most recognized sporting icons. At the age of 15, Nicol stormed the world of squash by becoming the youngest player to win the Asian junior championship, and from thereon, world domination was beckoning. A year later Nicol broke herself free and entered into the world’s top 10 players list. [...]
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congratulation !
hope u better!
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[...] Nicol David has been conferred Darjah Setia Pahlawan Negeri which carries the title ‘Datuk’. [...]
‘Syabas’ to you. ..!
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congrats!!
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Nicol David is one person that makes every Penangite absolutely proud.
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I really want to marry Nicol….SHE’S HOT!!!
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u really great….
hope u do better in the future…
im ur fan..
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Proud to be a Malaysian,congratulation !
if any game at Qatar don’t forget to visit the new Rosary Church.Thanks god bless u.
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yeah nicol david is really hot. i wish i could propose to her and marry her immediately. she’s my dream girl. beautiful, sexy, well mannered……nicol, i think i have fallen in love with ya!
so please help me by marrying me ok?
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the moment i cast my eyes on nicol david,……i was love smitten by that innocent and unpretentious eyes. i make me wondering whether nicol is available or not. i just want to be her boyfriend or if best…her lover. i want to love her all my life. yes!
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i like your profil
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YOU MAKE MALAYSIA very Proud:) !
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i’m hope u do the best 4 malaysia…….
by the way i very2 like u nicol…..
i’m ur 1st fan…..
luv u…..
always do the best…….
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wow..u r really great….m proud of u…..u r my biggest role model……i luv u….n all the best in ur life ahead…..gud luck!!!!
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miss u
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gud luck!!!!!!!! to you……. you make proud my idol…bubye….lurve you
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saya suka kat awak, awak cantik, kat sekolah saya slalu crite kat kawan pasal awak, saya harap dapat jumpa awak depan mata saya, mungkin satu ari nanti saya akan jumpa awak bila saya dh beso sebab skarang saya baru tingkatan 2
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u noe something u’r talented in d sense tat ur smart n u represent Malaysia’s no 1 skuaash player….nt oni in tis country bt also the whole world…..tat’s great!!!!4 d effort tat u put in when u’r young n also tusting in God all d time has made u somebody 2day!!!! All glory n praise goes 2 our God!!!! Be happy n alwayzzzz look 4ward 4 d future of our generation…..is gud 2 be presentable at all times!!!1Lucky 4 u..I hope 2 be like u someday!!!!!take care n GBU!!!!:)
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hai…nicol…terima kasih
1 malaysia
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i hope when i grow up ,i will become someone like u….
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u r a great person..u make malaysians proud of u..i hope u achieve bttr successment in ur life..
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wow!!!great!!!
congratz…to u…
-end-
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i love u very much
lah
bcoz ur hot chick
and sexy
so beautiful
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nicol…im a 12 year old girl and ur r my idol…i admire you…..I LOVE YOU!!!!!
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You make ONE MALAYSIAN Proud!!!Proud to be Malaysian!
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Hai nicol,i very like u coz u’r my idol.i am only 16 but i hope u dan be my friend.[eika]
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WAZZUP2.nicol i admirer u and i ur 1st fan.ur so hot and ur great. i hope u can make malaysia pround.when i grow up i wanna be like u.i hope i can see u.GOOD LUCK FOR NICOL ANN DAVID.{Avril94}
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i love u so much.u r so cool.i wish to be like u.could i see u and just take a photo and autograph.i am sure to be like u one day.bye
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hiiiiiiiiiiiiii……………….
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i love u so much NICOL ANN DAVID
u are the best!!!!!!!!
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i love u nicol ann david……..you are the campion in our country ok
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Nicol,great job and well done!!!
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