Malaysia’s Ng, Subramaniam book LA28 Olympics berth with Asian Games gold

Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng and Sivasangari Subramaniam sealed gold in the men’s and women’s singles squash events at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, guaranteeing themselves places at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The pair entered the tournament as top seeds and defended the titles they had won previously, both completing their campaigns without dropping a game. Ng, ranked 18th in the world, beat India’s Abhay Singh 11-9, 11-5, 11-5 in a 33-minute final at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, becoming the first Malaysian squash player to clinch Olympic qualification. Shortly afterwards Subramaniam, world number five, dispatched India’s Anahat Singh 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 in a 23-minute women’s final to secure her own Olympic berth. Anahat Singh had reached the final after a dramatic semifinal win in which she recovered from two sets down to defeat Japan’s Satomi Watanabe 9-11, 11-13, 12-10, 11-6, 11-3. That semifinal victory made the 18-year-old the first Indian woman to reach a singles final at the Asian Games; she described the comeback as the best win of her career. Elsewhere in the squash competition Pakistan added two bronze medals when third seed Noor Zaman beat compatriot Ashab Irfan 3-0 for bronze, and Satomi Watanabe overcame Hong Kong’s Sin Yuk Chan 3-1 to take another podium spot. The Malaysian golds represent the country’s fifth and sixth titles at these Asian Games.