Ross Norman

Ross Norman
Norman in 2014
Personal information
NationalityNew Zealander
Born (1959-01-07) 7 January 1959[1]
Whitianga, New Zealand
Sport
HandednessRight-Handed
Retired1995
Men's singles
Highest ranking2[2] (December 1985)
World OpenW (1986)
Medal record
Men's squash
Representing  New Zealand
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1986 ToulouseSingles
Silver medal – second place1985 CairoSingles
Bronze medal – third place1984 KarachiSingles
Bronze medal – third place1988 AmsterdamSingles

Ross William Norman MNZM (born 7 January 1959) is a former professional squash player from New Zealand. He was the 1986 world champion, after beating Jahangir Khan. He reached a career high ranking of 2 in the world during December 1985.[3]

Biography

Norman first played squash in 1968 and won the New Zealand junior title in 1977 before taking over the New Zealand number 1 ranking from the retiring Bruce Brownlee in 1981.[1]

During the summer of 1983 he injured his knee on a parachute jump and was out of squash for a significant period of time, being replaced as New Zealand number 1 by Stuart Davenport.[1] The injury caused a change in his training schedule[1] and Norman began to rise in the world rankings. In 1984 he reached the semi-finals of the 1984 World Open in Karachi[4] and the following year went one better by reaching the final at the 1985 World Open in Cairo.[5] By December 1985 he was ranked number 2 in the world.

In the 1986 world final he beat Jahangir Khan of Pakistan 9–5, 9–7, 7–9, 9–1 to end Jahangir's unbeaten streak dating back to 1981. The win marked the end of an unbeaten run for Khan that had stretched for over five years.[6] Norman had been ranked the World No. 2 behind Khan for some time going into the match, but despite a single-minded determination to end his unbeaten run had been unable to end the total dominance that the Pakistani had held over the game. Norman had vowed: "One day Jahangir will be slightly off his game and I will get him." That day finally came in the final of squash's biggest tournament, which was held that year in Toulouse, France.

Norman retired from the professional squash circuit in 1995,[2] but has remained active in seniors events. He now has two sons, Brett and Alex.

In the 2014 New Year Honours, Norman was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to squash.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Palmer, Michael (1984). Guinness Book of Squash. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 101. ISBN 0-85112-270-1.
  2. 1 2 "Ross Norman (New Zealand)". Squash Info. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  3. ↑ The Times 7 January 2010, Retrieved 2010-01-09
  4. ↑ "Squash". Daily Mirror. 3 December 1984. p. 31. Retrieved 26 May 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ↑ "Khan easily into final". Dundee Courier. 25 November 1985. p. 12. Retrieved 26 May 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ "Jahangir is beaten". Newcastle Journal. 12 November 1986. p. 14. Retrieved 26 May 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ "New Year honours list 2014". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
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