Miss-Delectable
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Squash ace off to Games - Sport - General - The Advertiser
BENDIGO’S Jo Richards will represent the Victorian squash team in the Australian Deaf Games which are to be held on the Gold Coast in early January.
The 33-year-old is particularly grateful to be playing in the event, after a lack of sponsorship forced her to withdraw from the World Deaf Games in October.
Richards, who is a full-time student at La Trobe University Bendigo, was unable to gather enough funds to travel to South Africa with the Australian womens team, which eventually claimed the silver medal.
‘‘I was devastated when I had to pull out of the (Australian) team due to financial reasons,’’ Richards said.
‘‘I’m a full-time student at La Trobe where I’m studying to be a teacher of the Deaf (but) at present I have been fully covered to attend the Australian Deaf Games on the Gold Coast.’’
Richards, who is completely deaf, trains two to three times a week with coach De Hendy and also plays in pennant matches at the Bendigo Squash Centre in Barnard Street.
‘‘I’ve always loved squash and I love being active,’’ Richards said.
‘‘I have played basketball, tennis, netball and touch football, but squash is the only sport I have taken up since being involved with Deaf sport.’’
While Richards’ future dream is to be women’s World Deaf Squash Champion, her immediate goal is to claim a National title with the Victorian team.
‘‘Victoria had a very strong team until the number one player in Australia pulled out recently because of a knee injury,’’ she said.
‘‘I can’t really say (who will be favourite), maybe either NSW, who have the Australian number two player or maybe Victoria with me as the Australian number three player, (but) there will be new players from different states on the court that may take us by surprise.’’
Deaf athletes will compete in 11 sports at the Australian Deaf Games which start on January 3.
BENDIGO’S Jo Richards will represent the Victorian squash team in the Australian Deaf Games which are to be held on the Gold Coast in early January.
The 33-year-old is particularly grateful to be playing in the event, after a lack of sponsorship forced her to withdraw from the World Deaf Games in October.
Richards, who is a full-time student at La Trobe University Bendigo, was unable to gather enough funds to travel to South Africa with the Australian womens team, which eventually claimed the silver medal.
‘‘I was devastated when I had to pull out of the (Australian) team due to financial reasons,’’ Richards said.
‘‘I’m a full-time student at La Trobe where I’m studying to be a teacher of the Deaf (but) at present I have been fully covered to attend the Australian Deaf Games on the Gold Coast.’’
Richards, who is completely deaf, trains two to three times a week with coach De Hendy and also plays in pennant matches at the Bendigo Squash Centre in Barnard Street.
‘‘I’ve always loved squash and I love being active,’’ Richards said.
‘‘I have played basketball, tennis, netball and touch football, but squash is the only sport I have taken up since being involved with Deaf sport.’’
While Richards’ future dream is to be women’s World Deaf Squash Champion, her immediate goal is to claim a National title with the Victorian team.
‘‘Victoria had a very strong team until the number one player in Australia pulled out recently because of a knee injury,’’ she said.
‘‘I can’t really say (who will be favourite), maybe either NSW, who have the Australian number two player or maybe Victoria with me as the Australian number three player, (but) there will be new players from different states on the court that may take us by surprise.’’
Deaf athletes will compete in 11 sports at the Australian Deaf Games which start on January 3.