Harriet Ingham Wins Squash Award
11 May 2007
The squash prowess of Surrey schoolgirl Harriet Ingham has been recognised by the Women's Squash Trust, who presented the 15-year-old from Weybridge with the 2007 Women's Squash Trust Award.
Ingham received the award from England Squash President and Women's Squash Trust Trustee Jackie Robinson at the University of Surrey Varsity Centre, where she trains with coach Ian Robinson and Stephen Meads and fellow members of the Premier League (PSL) team UniSport Guildford.
The Women's Squash Trust was established in 1988 following the amalgamation of the Squash Rackets Association (SRA) (now England Squash) and the Women's Squash Rackets Association (WSRA), thanks to legacies from Ann Price and Janet Shardlow, two of England's most successful women in the sport. The aim of the Trust is to promote women's squash, with the annual award going to a youngster who shows exceptional promise.
"I'm so chuffed to get this award, particularly when you see some of the names who have won it before," said a delighted Harriet Ingham, who was joined at the presentation by her 16-year-old brother Alex Ingham, the England U17 No1 and the fifth highest player in the U19 rankings, together with her parents Jamie and Dianne Ingham.
Harriet has been working hard recently - not only at her squash, but also her diet. "At a national squad training session recently, I was told I needed to lose weight. Working with dietician and nutritionist Wendy Martinson, I have already lost 22 pounds in the last few months - and it has really improved my game," said the Surrey teenager who was runner-up in the British Junior U15 National Championships earlier in the year.
"My biggest goal now is to be selected for the England team for the Women's World Junior Championships in August in Hong Kong," added Harriet, who is based at St George's Hill club in Weybridge.
Previous Women's Squash Trust Award winners include Cassie Jackman, the former world champion and world No1 from Norfolk; England international Stephanie Brind, a former world No4 from Kent; and Jenny Duncalf, the world No10 from Yorkshire who won the British National title for the first time this year.
Jackie Robinson added: "Harriet is clearly a player with a great future ahead of her - and a most worthy winner of our annual award."
