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09
Aug 2022
Harrogate squash player James Willstrop wins Commonwealth gold
Harrogate squash player James Willstrop has won another Commonwealth Games gold medal — a week before his 39th birthday.
Willstrop, who won gold in the singles at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia and is a former world number one, won the doubles in Birmingham yesterday with partner Declan James.
He had earlier finished fourth in the singles.
Willstrop told the Stray Ferret the intensity of the last few days had been immense and he was delighted with the outcome.
He said lockdown had enabled him to reset and focus on competing at another Commonwealth Games at a stage in his career when he thought it might not happen again.
The event, he added, was the highest profile squash competition in the world even though the World Championships featured all the leading players.
Willstrop grew up in Pontefract but lives in Harrogate with his partner Vanessa Atkinson, who is a former professional squash player.
He plays at Harlow Hill Squash and Sports Club and Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre.
Willstrop now plans to travel to America for some coaching and training camps before having a holiday and deciding what to do next. He said:
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