Malaysia’s Olympic gold medal dream could be one step closer to reality, with national squash star Sivasangari Subramaniam preparing to chase a historic achievement at the 2026 Asian Games at Nagoya, Japan, this September.
Malaysia has collected 15 Olympic medals since making its debut at the 1956 Melbourne Games, but the country is still searching for its first Olympic gold. With squash set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Sivasangari could be among the athletes carrying Malaysia’s hopes of finally reaching the top step of the podium.
The World No.5 has openly shared her dream of representing Malaysia at LA28 and potentially winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal.
“It would mean everything to me,” Sivasangari said, describing an Olympic appearance as a dream come true.
Before she can look towards Los Angeles, however, Sivasangari has an important challenge ahead. Winning the women’s singles gold at the Asian Games could see her become Asian champion for the second time and secure the first available qualification spot for the 2028 Olympics, provided she remains ranked inside the world’s top 50 by May 22, 2028.
Her chances come at a time when she is enjoying one of the strongest periods of her career. Over the past year, Sivasangari reached a career-high World No.5 ranking, won Gold-level titles at the Australian Open and Grasshopper Cup, and reached her first PSA Squash Tour Finals major final.
She is also entering the Asian Games as the highest-ranked player in the women’s field. However, rather than allowing the expectations to weigh on her, Sivasangari said she wants to focus on enjoying her squash and giving her best on court.
The Malaysian will face strong competition, including Japan’s World No.6 Satomi Watanabe. The two have known each other since their junior years, when Watanabe trained in Malaysia. Their journeys have since seen both rise to become two of Asia’s leading squash players.
For Malaysian squash fans, the Asian Games could therefore be a particularly exciting chapter. Beyond the gold medal, Sivasangari will have the opportunity to take a major step towards LA28 and potentially become part of Malaysia’s long-awaited Olympic gold story.
As the nation rallies behind its athletes, Sivasangari’s message remains simple: enjoy the game, play her best and let the results follow.
