Squash fraternity still inspired by the late Audrey
KUCHING: Squash Association of Kuching ( SAKS) wi l l be organising the Kuching Closed together with t he Audrey Melissa Hilton Smith Memorial Challenge Trophy at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya this weekend.
SAKS, supported by Squash Racquet Association of Sarawak ( SRAS), decided on an annual Kuching Closed with a special Challenge Trophy in memory of the late Audrey, a former national player and one of Sarawak’s best and most talented players of the early 1990’s.
SAKS are hoping to see more juniors take up squash and to encourage them to start young.
Audrey was born on November 22, 1976 to David Hilton Smith and Janet Kho.
She started playing squash at the Sarawak Club at a young age of eight and coached by the club’s resident tennis- squash coach Augustine Lee.
She made her Sukma debut in Kuala Lumpur when she was 11.
In 1990 Audrey was a member of the Sarawak team which won the women’s team silver in Sarawak Sukma at the Sarawak Club.
Other members were Emma Goh, Daphne Lim and Hii with Lucy Read as the team manager.
Just before one afternoon match, Audrey collapsed after suffering a seizure in the Main Hall of the Sarawak Club but she bravely played on to help Sarawak win the silver medal.
The following year, Audrey helped Sarawak win the women’s team gold at the Borneo Cup, an annual squash individual and team event hosted ( by rotation) and played between Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei.
Despite her medical condition during the Johor Sukma in 1992, Games, Audrey continued her matches to win her individual bronze medal.
Being the sole Malaysian player at LASY Hong Kong Junior Open at Hong Kong Sports Institute in 1992, Audrey was the Girls U16 Plate winner.
The 1992 Borneo Cup saw Audrey not only winning the women’s team gold with Corrine Tan and Jolander Klaver but also the women’s singles first runnerup.
She won the women’s team silver at the 1992 national InterState squash championship at Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur.
For her excellent achievements, Audrey won the MSNS Most Promising Athlete Award 1992.
In 1993, titles won by Audrey included Girls U19 singles gold at the Mi lo - Dunlop Junior Squash Carnival hosted by Sarawak, gold award from Mai lsport Mi lo Talent Spot, singles and team gold medals in the 8th Borneo Cup, Girls U19 singles gold at the National Junior Championships, Girls Team gold in the Asian Junior Championship in Singapore.
She was also a member of the national team for the 1993 World Junior Open in Kuala Lumpur.
Audrey continued to shine in 1994, winning the women’s team silver in the Dunlop Salver International in Kuala Lumpur and the Girls U19 singles in the Dunlop- Milo National Junior Squash.
At the Perak Sukma in 1994, Audrey who was over the age limit of 18 played mentor and training partner to the state players at the Sarawak Club.
In 1996, Audrey left for the US to further her studies in University Kalamazoo.
She passed away in the early morning of November 5 1996, just 17 days shy of her 20th birthday.