Commonwealth Games: Kennedy quit promising running career to chase squash glory

BY MAX HALL

If things had turned out differently for Beckenham’s Georgina Kennedy, the 25-year-old squash ace could have been lining up on the athletics track at the Commonwealth Games this month.

Kennedy, who will be third seed at her first games, told the South London Press she was something of a running star before finding a rackets talent which has lifted her to eighth in the world squash rankings.

“I was a runner,” said Kennedy, a former Langley Park school and sixth-form pupil who is a graduate of US Ivy League college Harvard. “I was a better runner than squash player when I was younger. It was always my dream to get to the Olympics and I was ranked number one in England for the 1,500m, for the U12s. I won the [5km] London Mini Marathon when I was about 12 and I also ran 5k cross country.

“I just couldn’t deal with the pressure of running because I was quite successful at a young age.”

Whatever might have been on the running track, Kennedy’s decision to switch to squash – having represented her borough in the sport at the London Youth Games – has seen her soar up the world rankings in the last year.

Rated number 167 in the world when the Covid-enforced break from action lifted last summer, ‘Gina’ rocketed up the listing to secure a coveted place at the Professional Squash Association’s World Tour Finals in Cairo last month.

“My ranking was lower than my standard when I graduated in 2020,” said the squash star, who plays for the Parklangley Club in Bromley where tennis star Emma Raducanu is also a member.

“I had decided I didn’t want to play on the pro tour while I was at college because I wanted to just enjoy my time at Harvard.

“Then, after graduation, there were no tournaments until June 2021 because of Covid. When the sport opened up again, my standard wasn’t 167 but I had to start there.

“I didn’t expect to get into the top eight for the [Commonwealth] Games though, it’s definitely gone a lot better than I expected.”

Kennedy was still undecided about whether to commit to the pro circuit as a career choice as late as halfway through her Harvard studies. Having finally opted to take the plunge, however, the rising star said she felt the enforced absence from global events brought on by the Covid pandemic may actually have helped her charge up the rankings.

“England Squash, after the main lockdown, opened up some clubs around the country and I was doing some match fitness stuff,” she said.

“During the time when no events were being staged I was really strict with my diet and my lifestyle and did a lot of strength work, and I got lots of good sleep – because I was in one stable time zone rather than travelling to events. I literally spent a year training.

“I didn’t know what my level would be when I resumed the tour but I was pretty confident.

“My game has always been pretty physical, that’s one of my strengths.”

The results have been spectacular, to the extent she is expected to win a medal at her first appearance at the games.

“The ranking does speak for itself,” said Kennedy. “This year I’ve had some wins against the players ranked five, six and seven [in the world] but they’ve also beaten me as well. Now I’m in the top eight, if you want to win you’ve got to be at your best.”

The chief threats to Kennedy in the women’s singles event – she will also compete in the doubles and mixed doubles at the games – are the two players ranked above her in the Commonwealth seedings, England team-mate Sarah-Jane Perry and New Zealander Joelle King.

While Perry will expect to be a crowd favourite in her home city, Kennedy expects to have a vocal crowd behind her too, as part of the South London contingent in ‘Brum’.

“There’ll be a lot of my friends there to watch, which will make it really special,” she said.

Asked about her hopes for a tournament which start with a round-of 64 match at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre today, Kennedy said: “I would, of course, be so happy with a medal but it will be the same for all the leading players. We know we could all win gold.”

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There are South London medal prospects at the Commonwealth Games – most notably Lewisham’s Alex Yee in the triathlon.

The 24-year-old won silver at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, as well as gold in the mixed relay.

Yee claimed the gold medal at the 2022 World Triathlon Sprint Championships in Montreal.

Peckham’s Imani-Lara Lansiquot is competing in the 100m, Camberwell-born Daryll Neita goes in the women’s 200m with Herne Hill Harrier Katie Snowdon lining up for the 1,500m. Ex-NFL star Lawrence Okoye, from Croydon, will compete in the discus and Tooting’s Jade Lally will line-up in the women’s event.

Greenwich weightlifter Zoe Smith will contest the 64kg discipline. The women’s 55kg section will feature former Peckham BMX club coach Sky Norris.

The star names due on show in Birmingham from July 29 include Blackheath & Bromley Harriers’ Dina Asher-Smith, in the 100m; Adam Gemili, in the 200m; and women’s shot-put hopeful Divine Oladipo.

Merton’s Chris McAlister – a keen AFC Wimbledon fan – will contest the men’s 400m hurdles and Croydon’s Thomas Young will race in the T38 paralympic 100m sprint.

Clapham Chasers will be represented in the women’s marathon by Team Scotland runner Stephanie Davis, and namesake Evie, from Bromley, will also line up for Scotland in the women’s sprint disciplines in the pool.

Bexleyheath athlete Lorraine Ugen will contest the women’s long jump.

Wandsworth’s Daisy Mumby will make up one half of the Team England women’s beach volleyball team.