Dumfries squash player wins silver medal at Over 60s World Masters Championships

A Dumfries squash player has returned home from a prestigious international tournament with a silver medal.

Sue Strachan won the medal in the Women’s Over 60s World Masters Squash Championships in Amsterdam over eight days earlier this month.

This was Sue’s second time playing at the world event, having played in Hong Kong 10 years previously when she was unlucky to meet the number one seed in the second round before finishing a creditable 10-12th.

Her goal this year was to get deeper into the tournament and hopefully end up above her seeding of 9/16. Sue breezed past an American in the first round before defeating the Finnish number one in round two.

Her next opponent was Mandy Akin, the second seed, reigning world champion and English number one.

Sue focussed hard, and despite having no expectations, she won through in a tight 3-0 match.

She then took on another formidable American opponent, Phoebe Trubowitz, seeded 5/8 but who had beaten the 3/4 seed in the quarters to get into the semi-finals.

This semi-final was a tight, bruising battle, played at high tempo but Sue drew on all her practice at Dumfries SRC along with her squash knowledge and experience to win through 3-1 and gain entry to the final to play the Australian two times world champion and ex-professional squash player, Susan Hilliard who was just too strong for Sue.

Sue said: “I am so delighted with my silver medal, it was most unexpected but I played really well this week.

“I would like to thank everyone at Dumfries SRC who plays me and helps me work on my shots and movement.

“This one is for you too. In sport there is always another level and Sue Hilliard is just a better player than me.

“That is okay, I am really happy to have