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INTERVIEW
Squash has been chosen as a demonstra!on
sport in view of the forthcoming 9th edi!on
of the Indian Ocean Island Games (Jeux des
îles de l’océan Indien), to be held on the 1-8
August 2015 in Reunion Island. We met up
with Nicolas Mourga, our squash superstar at
AfrAsia Bank, currently ranked 3rd at na!onal
level, who will be part of the delega!on that
will be represen!ng the Mauri!an colours
during this tournament.
Q:
You started playing squash since the age of 9. How did you get
seriously interested in this sport?
A:
Like most young boys at that !me I was playing soccer for the Racing
Club de Maurice. Then came a day when my dad encouraged me to do
an individual sport where I could prone individual effort and did not
have to depend on others. I had a try, and adopted squash! My Dad
also played squash.
Q:
To be a champion athlete in squash, howmuch is talent and how
much is hard work?
A:
You can succeed in a sport with hard work, but if you are gi$ed,
it makes it easier. The harder you work, the more you are likely to
succeed. I lost two finals this year, so I think I have to work harder
(Smiles).
Q:
You have won several tournaments including the Racing Club
Open andGymkhanaOpen 2007, par!cipated in various others such
as Mauri!us Squash Open, All African Championship 2011 in South
Africa and Namibia in 2013, Open Des Ananas, Mauri!us at Inter
Island. It’s your first par!cipa!on at the Indian Ocean Island Games,
how are you gearing up to this and what are your expecta!ons?
A:
I have been able to gain a lot of experiencewhen playingwith foreign
players and also have met a lot of coaches who gave me a lot of frui&ul
advice to improve my game. In this specific tournament, my aim is to
go as far as I can and to give the best of myself. My prepara!on has
been very different this !me. Also I will meet some professionals and
2 former World Number 1 from France and England, I hope to learn
from them.