Jonathon Power is busy preparing
to exorcise his nightmare experience in Hong Kong last year, when he was
forced to withdraw and taken to hospital with tonsillitis. A fitter, wiser
JP is now challenging Peter Nicol for the world No.1 slot, and, having taken
the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, the Canadian showman is anxious to
continue that vein of rich form in Asia.
The two great rivals are seeded to meet in the Hong Kong final, and Power
knows he can expect a more challenging time should the two meet again, with
their personal head-to-head record at 15-15 wins apiece and Power on a roll
of four consecutive victories over Nicol in major events. Power the
businessman is also anxious for a good show in Hong Kong, as he ties in
tournament commitments with meetings with the manufacturers of his
self-designed signature squash shoe.
Power's manager, Jason Matthison, said: "Jonathon took the weekend off after
the Commonwealth Games, but then it was back to the grindstone on the
following Monday. There was very little time to celebrate and relax, as he
expects all the players to be in top form coming into Hong Kong following
the Games.
"He enjoyed his usual training programme, with the addition of Stefan
Casteleyn, who flew into Montréal to train with him, and then the two of
them went back down to Santa Monica for an exhibition last Saturday, and to
train together for another week before Hong Kong."
Mathison added: "Hong Kong is one of JP's favourite tournaments, and after
last year's unexpected hospitalization and eventual withdrawal due to severe
tonsillitis, he has been extremely focused on erasing last year's horrible
memories. He is arriving a few days earlier than in years past, to
acclimatize, and spend some time with the manufacturer of his new signature
shoe, which will be making its official PSA tour debut in Hong Kong. So you
can expect him to be focused and moving well."
(For more information and a glimpse of his new shoe, go to
www.jpsquash.com) |
Jonathon Power
Power claims Commonwealth
Gold against Nicol
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