Shameena Riaz follows father's hockey legacy into Indian squash team for Asian Games

Father’s pride: Mohammed Riaz with daughter Shameena (left); Riaz in action during his playing days for the national team

Chennai: Every dinner at the Riaz household came with a story. Two-time Olympian Mohammed Riaz would recount the setbacks, sacrifices and triumphs that defined his career as an India hockey player, hoping his daughter would understand the commitment required to represent the country. The messages resonated. Years later, those lessons have become the bedrock of Shameena's journey, with the young squash player earning a place in India's Asian Games squad and adding a new chapter to the family's sporting legacy. At the Asian Games, the 20-year-old is set to compete in the team event and mixed doubles alongside Suraj Chand. Ranked No. 157 in the world, Shameena produced a major upset at a PSA Challenger event in Mumbai in June, defeating South Africa's Hayley Ward, who was ranked nearly 100 places higher, before reaching the quarterfinals. She was also part of India's silver-medal-winning team at the FISU World University Squash Championships in Mumbai last month. "The beginning was tough as, till the U-15 level, I did not win any competition and often got demotivated. I used to sit and cry after losing. But after speaking to my coaches and my father, I started taking the positives even from my losses. It was during my U-15 and U-17 days that I realised I had to be more mature and become more professional. I always talk to him (my father) whenever I need to. He is always there for me, no matter whether I win or lose," Shameena told TOI. As her results improved, so did her identity. "Earlier, everywhere I went with my father, it was always, 'She is Mohammed Riaz's daughter.' But after winning competitions, and now being selected for the Asiad, people say, 'Shameena is an Indian squash player' and they know who I am. The times have changed," she said.

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The more Shameena learnt about her father's career, the more she realised how different their journeys had been. "Once, he showed me his training schedule for the Asian Games and Olympics. He used to climb up the hills carrying 20-40 kg on his back, whereas my workouts today involve doing 50 to 60 squats. I feel privileged because I get to fly, stay in good hotels and have good food, and it was not the same for my father, who had to overcome struggles. " For Shameena, the goal is clear: carry forward the values she inherited from her father, while ensuring that name on the court is unmistakably hers.

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