Historic gold for Macleans College girls at Squash Team Championships
Posted on July 15, 2025
Macleans College’s Premier squash teams delivered outstanding performances at the Auckland Squash Team Championships.
Since their debut in 2021 in Division 2, the girls’ team has steadily climbed the ranks. This year, they secured gold in the Premier division - earning the school’s first place on the College Sport Squash Shield since its inception in 1969.
The boys’ team also impressed, achieving their best-ever result with a fourth place finish overall.
The boys opened strongly with victories over Long Bay College (3-2) and Botany Downs Secondary College (5-0). Standout contributions came from Charlie Bond (Batten House), captain Tanish Naidoo (Upham), Daniel Pokorny (Te Kanawa), Alex Rose (Hillary), Finley Foster (Snell) and Jeffrey Wang (Hillary).
In a highlight match, Tanish secured a thrilling 3-2 win over a higher-ranked opponent from Auckland Grammar School. Although the final match against Takapuna Grammar School proved challenging, the team held firm to secure a commendable fourth place.
The girls began their campaign with a dominant 5-0 win over Westlake Girls High School. Ana Pirini (Snell), Ally Chu (Mansfield), captain Amelie Lianto (Snell), Jeslyn Jiang (Upham) and Emily Chan (Kupe) each delivered decisive victories. In the final round against Takapuna Grammar School, Stella Kim (Snell), Ally Chu and Jeslyn Jiang claimed crucial wins, clinching a 3-2 result and the championship title. Despite facing top-seeded opponents, Amelie and Emily showed resilience, rounding off a remarkable team effort.
Thank you to coach Rafa Yam and team managers Mrs Sutanto and Mr Wing for their dedicated guidance and support. Their expertise and encouragement played a vital role in the teams’ success.
Girls team: Amelie Lianto, Emily Chan, Ally Chu, Jeslyn Jiang, Ana Pirini and Stella Kim.
Boys team: Tanish Naidoo, Alex Rose, Daniel Pokorny, Charlie Bond, Jeffrey Wang and Finley Foster.
