At the mere age of 13, young and dynamic little squash wonder Huzaifa Shahid has amassed plaudits for his excellent skillset and talent, and is being tipped to mount a serious challenge for all his opponents in the future.
Huzaifa’s rise to fame started at the age of seven when he appeared at his first National Junior Squash Championship (NJSC). A year later, he participated in the Under-11 quarterfinals of the Chief of the Air Staff Cup 2019. He reached the semifinals when he played at the Commissioner Cup the same year. The wonder boy kept growing, reaching the final and winning his first title at the age of 10, when he played at the PSF-COMBAXX in Islamabad.
With a strong squash pedigree, Huzaifa is the proud offspring of Shahid Hussain Khan who himself is a renowned squash coach of repute. Under his tutelage, Huzaifa became the winner of the Under-13 Torsam Khan NJSC 2022 and the McDonald’s National Junior Squash Championship 2023.
Huzaifa Shahid – squash’s new wonder boy
On the international front, Huzaifa played the semifinals of the Korean and Singapore Junior Open Squash Championship (JOSC) in 2019, stood winner of Malaysia BORNEO JOSC 2023, played the quarterfinal of the British JOSC 2024 at the University of Birmingham, England, and this year he made history by winning the much-coveted Australian Junior Open Squash Championship on 11th April 2024 at the world-famous Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Australia.
Resilience, unwavering dedication, and the triumph achieved against odds stand as a testament to Huzaifa’s talent and potential.
Us: When you made it to the finals [of the Australian JOSC], were you aware that you were going to make history?
Huzaifa Shahid: My father has taught me to fight till the last moment and never give up, and that helped me keep going. [So my focus at that time was to fight till the end.]
Us: When you stepped into the Melbourne squash court to play the final, what was in your mind?
HS: Before starting the match, I have only one thing in my mind: that I am the ambassador of Pakistan and I have to uphold my flag globally by clinching the trophy for my country.
Us: Who do you attribute your success to?
HS: Almighty Allah has been so kind that I attained this much and brought pride for my country. I would not be able to make it that big in the absence of the guidance and support of my father and mentors like Sir Tauqeer Ahmed (Pakistan Navy) and Sir Amir Nawaz and Sir Irfan Asghar from the Pakistan Air Force who appreciate my talent and always
extend their support
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