CONVERSATIONS WITH GAVIN YAP

When you think of Malaysian heroes, squash champion Datuk Nicol David is always at the top of the list. Sitting down with her wasn't just an honour, but a personal highlight for me. Her humility, even after all she's accomplished, is truly inspiring. We spoke about her incredible journey, how she stays grounded, and what it really takes to be a champion at her level.

EPISODE 3: DATUK NICOL DAVID

The term 'GOAT' is often overused, but with you, the argument is legitimate. Knowing what you've achieved and how people perceive you, how do you stay grounded and keep a sense of normalcy?

Well, I just stuck to what I was doing when I was competing-training, growing up with my family, and even now. All the awards and recognition didn't really sink in until after I retired. It wasn't until I started talking to people about it that I began giving myself some credit. While I was competing, I never thought I was good enough, and that's what kept pushing me to keep winning and improving.

When you look back on all of it, does it feel real or does it feel like another life?

It sometimes feels so distant, even though it was only five years ago that I retired. And I almost feel like I can't remember what I did, even starting to play a bit of squash, I feel like I've aged so much. As in 'Oh wow, this is so hard, how did I do that when I was playing professionally? (laughs)

Did you dabble in other kinds of sports as well before discovering squash?

When we were younger, my dad would teach us coordination, like catching and throwing the ball-simple things, but I would get so into it, even at such a young age. In school, dad always taught us to be exposed to different kinds of sports. I played volley ball, basketball, netball-anything in school, if I could pick it up. That was fun and it taught me different dimensions of team sports and individual sports. But when I compared the two, my squash was so much better. I already had a head start and I was already travelling to play when I was 11. That really drew me closer to squash and also, I just loved it. I love the game.