Top seeds Egypt, Malaysia and Hong Kong eases into semis while England are made to work hard
By KNG ZHENG GUAN, HOWARD HARDING and ALEX WAN – Squash Mad International Correspondents

Malaysia stayed very much on track in their title bid while England produced the day’s drama as the cast for the semi-finals of the CIMB Foundation WSF World Junior Team Squash Championships was decided.

The hosts and second seeds were rarely tested as they started their day by beating Canada 3-0 in their last Group B match at the National Squash Centre, Bukit Jalil.

Returning to court hours later, they were once again dominant as they packed off challengers Switzerland 3-0 in the quarter-finals.

With a 1-2-3 order of play, Aifa Azman stepped on first and despite a slight lapse in the second game, still had too much firepower in producing an 11-4, 13-11, 11-4 win over Ambre Allinckx.

Second string Chan Yiwen then duly sealed the win by whipping Cassandra Fitze 11-3, 11-7, 11-4 before third string Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi, in place of a sick Ooi Kah Yan, finished off the contest by beating Alina Poessl 11-1, 11-5 in the dead rubber.

“Of course it’s pleasing to get through with a convincing win. Our first target is to get back on the podium and we’ve achieved that now,” said national assistant head coach Andrew Cross.

“Now it looks like we’ll be up against Hong Kong in the semi-finals, a repeat of the Asian Junior Team Championships final which we won. It’s another tough game but I expect the girls to be up to it.

“Meanwhile Kah Yan is sick, which is why she is rested but I have complete faith in Ainaa to do the job. We gave her a chance to play today in order to get a run out in case she is needed to step up in the semi-finals.”

Malaysia, silver medallists from the 2017 edition, do go on to meet regional rivals Hong Kong in the last four.

Third seeds Hong Kong secured their spot in the last eight as Group C winners after beating India 3-0 in the morning session.

And they too were looking very strong as they saw off a weary looking USA 3-0 in the last eight.
The crucial win for Hong Kong was in the first string match as Chan Sin Yuk avenged her British Junior Open Under-17 final defeat to Marina Stefanoni, this time carving out an 11-7, 7-11, 11-1, 7-11, 11-4 win.

“I’ve played Marina a few times but I lost to her the last time we met. I knew however I had a chance to take her down today,” said Sin Yuk.

“It was an important win because I knew that if I won, my team-mates would be able to play without pressure and I’m pleased to have delivered for the team.”

Following Sin Yuk’s win, Hong Kong quickly wrapped up the contest with Kirstie Wong and Lee Sum Yuet both seeing off Olivia Robinson and Caroline Spahr respectively.

“Sin Yuk’s win was important. It is revenge for her and it gave the team a good push,” said Hong Kong coach Dick Leung.

“I’m also pretty happy with the results so far. We were promoted to be third seeds before the team event started but I’ve been telling the girls that the seedings is just a number.

“I’m pleased that they were able to show their ability as a top four team and we have nothing to lose against Malaysia so we’ll give it a go.”

Meanwhile fourth seeds England produced the best drama of the day, from both the morning and evening sessions.

In the morning session, they rallied together after first string Elise Lazarus fell in five to Stefanoni to clinch a 2-1 win over the Americans and topped Group D.

Second string Alice Green played a huge role as she first saved match ball in the deciding rubber against Robinson, before converting her sixth match ball opportunity in a see-saw battle to win 12-10, 10-12, 11-9, 6-11, 17-15.

That set up Evie Coxon to clinch the win by beating Elisabeth Ross 11-7, 11-8, 11-5.

Later in the quarter-finals, the English girls once again showed great tenacity to beat India 3-0.

Lazarus redeemed herself as she recovered from two games down to beat Sanya Vats 8-11, 1-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3.

And Green once again delivered the heroics by beating Aishwarya Khubchandani 11-13, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 before Coxon finished it off by beating Yoshna Singh 11-7, 8-11, 13-11 in the dead rubber.

“I feel great to be honest. I had a great match against Olivia, 17-15 in the fifth and it surely wasn’t an easy match,” said Green.

“I’m pleased that I recovered well enough to play in the evening match but a lot of credit also goes to Elise, who did great coming from 2-0 down to win her tie.

“Now we’re excited to be in the semi-finals and we’re looking forward to facing Egypt. They’re the top seeds and we want to give it a go against them.”

Defending champions Egypt had another effortless day as they first swept Switzerland 3-0 in the morning session before putting on their strongest lineup to crush surprise quarter-finalists Australia 3-0.

In the playoffs for 13th-18th, Sweden beat Singapore 3-0 and will meet Ireland next while Japan defeated Chinese Taipei with a similar score and meets Korea next.

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CIMB Foundation WSF Women’s World Junior Team Squash Championship, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Final qualifying round – Pool A:
[1] EGYPT bt [8] SWITZERLAND 3/0
Hania El Hammamy bt Ambre Allinckx 11-6, 11-6, 11-4
Jana Shiha bt Simona Frevel 11-3, 11-7, 11-6
Sana Ibrahim bt Alina Poessl 11-3, 11-3, 11-1
[9] FRANCE bt [16] SINGAPORE 3/0
Ninon Lemarchand bt Paige Teresa Hill 7-11, 6-11, 11-6, 15-13, 11-5
Lea Barbeau bt Gracia Chua Rui En 11-4, 11-3, 11-4
Mahe Asensi bt Sonya Bajaj 11-7, 11-3, 11-8
Final positions: 1 Egypt, 2 Switzerland, 3 France, 4 Singapore

Pool B:
[2] MALAYSIA bt [7] CANADA 3/0
Aifa Azman bt Molly Chadwick 11-4, 11-6, 11-9
Chan Yiwen bt Erica McGillicuddy 11-3, 11-6, 11-6
Ainaa Ampandi bt Brianna Jefferson 11-4, 12-10, 11-2
[10] AUSTRALIA bt [14] JAPAN 2/1
Alex Haydon bt Erisa Sano Herring 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 14-12
Sze Yu Lee lost to Ayumi Watanabe 11-9, 7-11, 8-11, 9-11
Remashree Muniandy bt Rafu Takahashi 11-9, 11-7, 11-6
Final positions: 1 Malaysia, 2 Australia, 3 Canada, 4 Japan

Pool C:
[3] HONG KONG CHINA bt [6] INDIA 3/0
Chan Sin Yuk bt Sanya Vats 11-4, 11-9, 11-4
Kirstie Po Yui Wong bt Aishwarya Khubchandani 12-10, 11-7, 11-7
Lee Sum Yuet bt Yoshna Singh 11-1, 11-6, 11-5
[11] NEW ZEALAND bt [13] IRELAND 3/0
Anika Jackson bt Emma McGugan 11-2, 11-8, 11-7
Natalie Sayes bt Emma Lundy 11-6, 11-1, 11-5
Winona-Jo Joyce bt Alessia Osborne 11-5, 11-1, 11-1
Final positions: 1 Hong Kong China, 2 India, 3 New Zealand, 4 Ireland, 5 Chinese Taipei

Pool D:
[4] ENGLAND bt [5] USA 2/1
Elise Lazarus lost to Marina Stefanoni 11-9, 11-8, 2-11, 7-11, 7-11
Alice Green bt Olivia Robinson 12-10, 10-12, 11-9, 6-11, 17-15
Evie Coxon bt Elisabeth Ross 11-7, 11-8, 11-5
[15] SOUTH AFRICA bt [12] REPUBLIC OF KOREA 3/0
Faith Panashe Sithole bt Chae Won Song 11-6, 14-12, 11-7
Teagan Roux bt Shin Yu Jin 11-7, 11-7, 12-10
Helena Coetzee bt Jang Yea Won 6-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4
Final positions: 1 England, 2 USA, 3 South Africa, 4 Republic of Korea, 5 Sweden

Quarter-finals:
[1] EGYPT bt [10] AUSTRALIA 3/0
Hania El Hammamy bt Alex Haydon 11-7, 11-5, 11-9
Jana Shiha bt Sze Yu Lee 11-5, 11-6, 11-6
Farida Mohamed bt Remashree Muniandy 11-8, 11-3
[4] ENGLAND bt [6] INDIA 3/0
Elise Lazarus bt Sanya Vats 8-11, 1-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3
Alice Green bt Aishwarya Khubchandani 11-13, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6
Evie Coxon bt Yoshna Singh 11-7, 8-11, 13-11
[3] HONG KONG CHINA bt [5] USA 3/0
Chan Sin Yuk bt Marina Stefanoni 11-7, 7-11, 11-1, 7-11, 11-4
Kirstie Po Yui Wong bt Olivia Robinson 11-4, 11-6, 11-9
Lee Sum Yuet bt Caroline Spahr 8-11, 13-11, 11-6
[2] MALAYSIA bt [8] SWITZERLAND 3/0
Aifa Azman bt Ambre Allinckx 11-4, 13-11, 11-4
Chan Yiwen bt Cassandra Fitze 11-3, 11-7, 11-4
Ainaa Ampandi bt Alina Poessl 11-1, 11-5

13th – 18th place play-offs:
[17] SWEDEN bt [16] SINGAPORE 3/0
Sara Månberg bt Paige Teresa Hill 11-5, 11-5, 11-2
Moa Bönnemark bt Sonya Bajaj 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8
Malin Frank bt Wei Ting Lim 11-4, 11-9
[14] JAPAN bt [18] CHINESE TAIPEI 3/0
Erisa Sano Herring bt Wu Yi-Chen 11-9, 11-6, 11-6
Ayumi Watanabe bt Wang Yuan 11-3, 11-7, 11-2
Rafu Takahashi bt Chen Pin Yu 11-6, 11-0 

Pictures courtesy of #WSFWorldJuniors2019 and Regina Ho

James Ryan says Ireland's players are eager to get their World Cup bid under way after a tough pre-season.

The Irish begin a four-game warm-up programme at home to Italy on Saturday.

"It's my first time being in camp this long and it's been the hardest pre-season I've had," said Ryan, who has been named the Rugby Writers of Ireland men's Player of the Year.

"We have done a lot of work and guys are itching to get going. There is a lot of nervous excitement about."

Ryan's award comes after a season when he cemented his reputation as one of the best second rows in the world.

After a sensational rookie season in 2017-18 when he won a Grand Slam with Ireland as well as the Pro14 and Champions Cup double with Leinster, he delivered again for club and country in 2018-19.

After Italy, Ireland will play Wales twice and England once before travelling to Japan for the World Cup next month.

Ryan is not one of the players likely to be fretting over his inclusion in the 31-man squad, but says consistency of performance is important ahead of the biggest tournament of his life.

He said: "It is once in a lifetime opportunity to represent your country on a world stage but it's where you want to be, isn't it?

"We have four warm-up games before that and when you think about it that is four test matches, so there is a lot of rugby to be played.

"It's important that if you want to be on the plane you put in a committed and accurate performance."

Winger Jack Nowell remains a World Cup injury doubt with England staff unable to put a time frame on his return.

The Exeter player flew home from the training camp in Italy last week for a "routine surgical review".

However, doubts linger over Nowell's availability, with boss Eddie Jones naming his 31-man squad on Monday.

England play four warm-up games in the coming weeks, before September's tournament opener against Tonga in the Japanese city of Sapporo.

"We'll see how he goes - he is a quick healer," assistant coach Neal Hatley told BBC Sport.

"We are not going to discuss what the specialist said, but he is going to put in a lot of work to make himself available.

"We will see how he goes over the next week or two and then we will make a decision."

Nowell was in outstanding form at the end of last season, excelling for England in the Six Nations and putting in an astonishing individual display for Exeter in the Premiership final against Saracens.

But he injured his ankle towards the end of the Twickenham showpiece and had surgery at the start of June.

"He is a key player for us and has played a lot under Eddie and this coaching group," Hatley added.

"He's not just a good player but a good person and a good bloke to have in the squad. He is part of the glue that holds the squad together."

England begin their warm-up schedule against Wales at Twickenham on Sunday, after spending much of the past two months in training camps, but don't need to submit their final squad until 8 September.

"It's the longest period we have ever had with the players, so from a preparation point of view it has been really good," Hatley said.

"The next few games are about making sure that when we get on the plane on the 8 September we are in the best shape we can be."

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Meijer is partnering with Front Row Motorsports to serve as primary sponsor for the No. 36 Ford Mustang in this weekend’s Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan Int’l Speedway.

Meijer will also serve as an associate sponsor for Matt Tifft next month at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Midwest grocery retailer will now feature a line of Surface Sunscreen products hitting shelves just in time for race day.

Surface Sunscreen, maker of purpose-built sun care products designed with athletes and action sports in mind, is a season-long partner of Tifft and Front Row Motorsports.

Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., Meijer operates more than 245 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

“It can sometimes be a hassle to shop for everything you need at the track,” said Tifft. “Meijer is the ultimate source for getting everything on your list, which should always include sun protection. I’m excited to debut this paint scheme at Michigan and to have Meijer on the car again in Indy.”

ELDON, Mo. – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series’ return on Oct. 19 to Lake Ozark Speedway will see close to a $10,000 increase to the overall purse for the Jason Johnson Classic.

FK Rod Ends is adding a $410 bonus to every position in the feature – bringing the winner’s purse to $10,410 and making it a $1,210-to-start race.

That makes the overall purse of the race more than $57,000.

The event honors 2016 Knoxville Nationals champion Jason Johnson, who was killed in a racing accident last year at Wisconsin’s Beaver Dam Raceway.

Johnson and his wife, Bobbi, located Jason Johnson Racing in Rocky Mount, Mo. – just 15 minutes away from Lake Ozark Speedway.

“I am really excited to have a race in Jason’s name at the Lake,” Bobbi Johnson said. “Anyone who knew him recognized his love for Sprint Car racing, his family, the fans and he absolutely loved living near the lake here at Lake of the Ozark. To host the race at Lake Ozark Speedway brings all the things he loved together at one place again for the Jason Johnson Classic while we honor his passion and commitment for the sport and the area we called home together.

“Jaxx and I, along with Jason’s parents Craig and Debra, miss him deeply every day, but we are very excited for everyone to make plans to come out to the lake to honor our beloved hero at the Jason Johnson Classic at Lake Ozark Speedway.”

The stars of the World of Outlaws put on a spectacular show at the third-mile track in April, showing why the series is nicknamed The Greatest Show on Dirt.

Brad Sweet dueled with Jason Johnson Racing driver David Gravel in the late stages of the race. Gravel hunted Sweet down and passed him for the lead, but with four laps to go Sweet snuck underneath Gravel in turn one and charged back by him for the top spot.

On the final lap exiting turn four, Sweet slid up the track and allowed Gravel to close back to him, but it wasn’t enough. Sweet claimed the win with Gravel second and 10-time series champion Donny Schatz in third close behind him.

The win was Sweet’s second of the year at the time. Now, he’s collected 12 wins so far and holds the points lead over Schatz in second-place and Gravel in third.

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HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Joe Gibbs Racing announced Wednesday that Jack Hawksworth will make his NASCAR debut this weekend in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the organization.

Hawksworth will pilot the No. 18 iK9 Toyota Supra at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

“I’m excited to be joining the Joe Gibbs Racing team and driving the No. 18 iK9 Toyota Supra this weekend at Mid-Ohio,” said Hawksworth. “It’s a fantastic opportunity in a completely different series, against completely different competition and in a different type of racing. From a personal perspective, I’m very excited to experience something new and to be challenged in a new way. It’s going to be very different, I’m sure it’s going to be difficult and there’s going to be a bit of a learning curve with it, but I’m going into it with a championship-winning organization so that gives me a lot of confidence.

“I look to get out there and do a good job and looking forward to getting out on the track.”

While this weekend will mark his first race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the Xfinity Series, the 28-year-old Bradford, England native is no stranger to the 2.4-mile course.

Most recently, Hawksworth competed at the track in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTD class, where he and teammate Richard Heistand piloted their Lexus RC F GT3 to the win in May.

The duo also captured a win this season at Raceway at Belle Isle Park in June and are currently tied for the lead in the IMSA GTD Sprint Cup Championship team standings, while also sitting fourth in the overall GTD points standings.

Since moving to the United States in 2011, Hawksworth has competed in multiple racing series. He first made his mark in the U.S. competing in the Star Mazda Series in 2012, where he won the championship and broke the series record for most wins, poles and fastest lap in a season. He then moved to the Indy Lights Series for 2013 where he earned three race wins, six podium finishes and two pole positions.

For the next three seasons, Hawksworth competed in the NTT IndyCar Series, finishing a career-best finish of third in 2014 in Houston, Texas and earning the Indy Car Tony Renna Rising Star Award during his rookie season. He also won the 2014 Brickyard Grand Prix in the IMSA Prototype Challenge class at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hawksworth moved to the RC F GT3 in 2017, where he has competed the last two seasons.

“As we head in to the second road course of the season, we’re fortunate to have a veteran like Jack Hawksworth be able to come out of the Lexus program to help out the Toyota family and our team in the No. 18 iK9 Supra this weekend,” said Steve DeSouza, Executive Vice President of Xfinity Series and Development for Joe Gibbs Racing. “He will bring a great deal of experience and a history of success to JGR this weekend. I think he’ll be a great asset to our team and be someone that both Brandon (Jones) and Christopher (Bell) can look to for advice on how to get around Mid-Ohio.

“Jack’s proven he can win at the track, and there’s no reason not to continue that this weekend with the (No.) 18 team.”

Hawksworth replaces Jeffrey Earnhardt behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota Supra.

Earnhardt was scheduled to drive the car this weekend at Mid-Ohio, but revealed on social media Wednesday that he has “parted ways” with sponsor iK9.

Just wanted to let ya’ll know that iK9 and I have parted ways and wanted to thank them for the opportunity to race with @JoeGibbsRacing & @ToyotaRacing . Wish them the best in their future.

— Jeffrey Earnhardt (@JEarnhardt1) August 7, 2019

Earnhardt was scheduled to race the No. 81 Xtreme Concepts Toyota Supra for XCI Racing at Daytona Int’l Speedway in July, but the team withdrew their entry before the race.

A fourth-generation driver, Earnhardt earned a career-best finish of third at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway earlier this season in Xfinity Series action, one of seven starts he’s made this year.

INDIANAPOLIS – The entry list for the Driven2SaveLives BC39 powered by NOS Energy Drink at the Dirt Track at IMS has neared 40 entries as of Wednesday afternoon.

Among the latest stars to commit to the second running of the race, scheduled for Sept. 4-5, are the point leading and winningest team in the NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series this season, an international racing star, an electrifying talent, a Western States Midget champion and a car owned by the winningest driver in series history.

Clauson/Marshall Racing has entered their core group of four full-time USAC competitors for the event, including Tyler Courtney, Chris Windom, Zeb Wise and Andrew Layser.

Defending AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series champion Courtney leads all drivers with six USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget feature wins this year and has led the standings since the start of the season.

His CMR teammate, Chris Windom, runs second in the standings behind him after a strong showing during Pennsylvania Midget Week.

Windom, the 2016 Silver Crown and 2017 National Sprint Car titlist, has won his first two National Midget races over the past two months.

Wise runs fourth in the standings with two recent victories to his credit during Pennsylvania Midget Week. He was victorious in last year’s Stoops Pursuit race at the BC39.

Andrew Layser is in his first year for CMR and tops the series’ rookie points by a commanding margin. He seeks to make his first BC39 feature start.

Michael Pickens, the winningest driver from New Zealand in the history of the USAC National Midget Series with four wins, will roll with the RMS LLC team at the BC39 alongside teammate Thomas Meseraull.

David Prickett, the 2012 USAC Western States Dirt Midget champ, will drive for Neverlift Motorsports in his second BC39 appearance. Meanwhile, Trey Osborne – a veteran of Kenyon Midget racing and the Little 500 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway – will drive the famed yellow No. 61 for Mel Kenyon, a 111-time USAC national midget victor.

Those drivers join a talented list of entries which also includes 2017 USAC National Midget champion Spencer Bayston; 2018 Jason Leffler Memorial winner Tyler Thomas; USAC National Sprint Car feature winners Brent Beauchamp and Matt Westfall; and past USAC Western States Midget champion Shannon McQueen, among others.

Driven2SaveLives BC39 Entry List (as of Aug. 7)