He is confident, he is victorious and he knows no defeat. He is one of the inspiring young Egyptians that we are surely proud of. When he was just 16 years old, he won his first major international title, the youngest player ever to win the Men’s World Junior Squash Championship. In 2006, he became the first player in history to win the World Junior Championships twice! Now 25-year-old Ramy Ashour runs Inspire Squash Academy for teaching and mastering squash for young Egyptians. We talked victory, fitness and women!
“Being World’s number one is not all glamour; it needs a lot of sacrifices.”
If you were in a bad mood, had a fight just 5 min before a match, how do you stay positive and ready to win?
Actually that’s always the hard part about our game or probably about any individual sport as there is so much pressure solely on one player. I had that before; let me think how many times… a lot! More than you can imagine, it doesn’t have to be a fight though, but there will always be small and big silly issues along and the player is expected to always win. I just have to push the demons away and find any motivation to stay positive and strong. Being World’s number one is not all glamour; it needs a lot of sacrifices.
Do you believe that a healthy mind is in a healthy body?
Sports in general is great. Sometimes you lack motivation in the middle of the week, but you always have to remind yourself that you are blessed to be having something to invest effort in, as some other people still don’t have that in their life.
Would you get married to a female squash player who received more medals than you?
Well, I know I am competitive but I also know that I would be more than delighted and proud to see the woman I love very successful and ambitious in her life. I believe that if a woman is more successful than her man, she has to be very smart about it as to always make him feel that her success relates to her man in a wise sensible manner, so that he would feel comfortable around her and never jealous, and surely the same rule applies to men.
Which is worse, a woman who can’t cook or a woman who doesn’t work out?
You can teach a woman to cook, but it’s very hard to teach someone to workout if they aren’t into it, so definitely a woman who can’t workout is worse. Besides, I believe that sports build character, so I need a character with me around the house not a chef (smiles).
“I know I am competitive but I also know that I would be more than delighted and proud to see the woman I love very successful and ambitious in her life.”
How can we get Egyptian crowds to turn their heads to other important sports not only football?
We are missing media and TV awareness towards the game, once this is solved then things are going to change dramatically. I just had a meeting with Mr. Farouk El Amry, The Minister of Sports and he is a very wise man who appreciates sports a lot. He promised that our World Open Teams event, held in France (mull-house) on the 9th of June, will be aired live on Egyptian TV for the first time ever. That’s great!
Do you think successful young Egyptians like yourself are appreciated more outside their country?
Definitely they are, I believe in the Egyptian potential. Almost all Egyptians who are abroad are very successful at what they do and have great posts; I have lots of friends as an example for that. Whilst here sadly we still do have some cultural misconceptions.
“The slogan which I have chosen for the academy is “Believe you can” and that just says it all.”
How do you feel coaching young kids in Inspire Squash Academy?
It has always been my greatest dream to pass on and share all my secrets and struggles throughout my squash career. Maybe I could cut a lot of chapters and make things a little easier for whoever wants to have a purpose in his life through squash. The slogan which I have chosen for the academy is “Believe you can” and that just says it all.
Do you know what women want?
They want everything. They also want interesting human beings.