England Squash News

Willmott In Seventh Heaven For England In European Junior Championships

At just 16 years old, Sussex squash player Rachel Willmott will make her seventh separate appearance for England when she leads the defending champions in the European Junior U17 Team Championships in Boblingen, Germany, from 13-16 May.

Also selected in the mixed England U17 team, announced by England Squash, are:  Victoria Bell, 15, from Carlisle in Cumbria; Jim Bristow, 16, from Stone-in-Teignhead in Devon; Joe Lee, 15, from West Molesey in Surrey; and Adrian Waller, 15, from Enfield in Middlesex.

England, favourites to retain the U17 title, are expected to face hosts Germany in the final.  England beat Germany in both the 2004 and 2003 finals

The England squad for the European Junior U15 Team Championships, which will run alongside the U17 event in Boblingen, has also been revealed:  All aged 14, the five-player squad features Jane Allman from Epsom in Surrey; Natalie Coombs, from Bruton in Devon; Alex Ingham, from Weybridge in Surrey; Chris Fuller, from Kettering in Northants; and Oliver Dixon from Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire.

England, runners-up to Switzerland last year, share second seeding with France in the U15 Championship - and would hope to meet top seeds Germany in the final

Rachel Willmott, from Horsham, has enjoyed a distinguished junior career since winning the British U13 championship - the first of six junior national titles - in 1999.  She made her England debut in the European U15 championships in Sweden in 2001, then competed in the championships again a year later in Germany.  In 2003, she was selected for the European U17 championships, and will make her third appearance in the event this month.  In August 2003, Rachel made her first appearance in an England U19 team in the World Junior Championships in Egypt - and this year represented her country in the European Junior U19 Championships in Sweden.