Interview by Michael Fiteni

Join us as we Get to Know . . . Borja Golan, 7 time Spanish National Squash Champion.

Vital Statistics

Recent World Ranking: 22
Highest World Ranking: 19
Recent National Ranking: 1
Highest National Ranking: 1
PSA Tournament Wins: 16
Birthdate: 06/01/1983
Birthplace: Santiago de Compostela, Spain 
Citizenship: Spanish
Height: 1.83
Weight: 75 kg.
Plays: Dunlop
Started playing squash at age: 9
Turned Pro: 2002 (19 years)
Squash Season Training Base City: Santiago
Squash Season Squash Club: Squash Club Santiago
Residence City: Santiago, Spain
Marital Status: Single
Pets: one dog named Beathoven
Education (Where? What?): University of Santiago de Compostela. Journalism (4 subjects to finish)
Languages spoken: Galician, spanish and english.
Family squash background: none
Racket: Dunlop
String: Dunlop
Shoes: Prince
Clothing: Dunlop
Other Sponsors: Dunlop, Spanish and Galician Federation, Deporte Galego, Xunta de Galicia, Ayuntamiento de Ames
Coach: Jesús Souto
Other experts / support Team: sport psychologist
Training partners: Carlos Cornes
07 – 08 League Team: Burdeaux, Paderborn and Apeldoorn
06 – 07 League Team: Paderborn and Apeldoorn
National Team Titles: 7
National Team Participation: Represented my national team since I was 16 years old.
Website:  www.borjagolan.com

Childhood ambition, when I grow up I want to be a _______
good sportsman

How did you get started playing squash?
I have the club closed to my home and i practice many sports like swiming, karate, soccer and ask to me, why not squash?

Best advice you received early in your pro squash career?
I received many good ones but maybe the best is: You must have confidence on yourself, you have to think that you are better than your oponent.

Advice or perspectives you would give a 16 year old aspiring to be a PSA professional?
You must love squash and get up every morning with the same goal: end the day being a better player. If you hate travel or to be sometimes far from your family or girlfriend don´t choose squash or another profesional sport.

If it wasn't for ________________   I would never have attained my current level of squash success
the year I spent in England, my daily training and the support of my family, girlfriend and my sponsors.

Biggest sacrifice being a full-time squash professional?
Too much travel and to some not so very interesting places (no places named out of respect)

How would you describe your playing style?
Phusical and quick, but I'm working to attack more

3 Best squash players of all-time?
I can't remember how Jansher and Jahangir played but the Ramy´s talent i never saw before in a squash court

Who are some of the people you admire and respect the most in the pro game?
Peter Nicol was for me an example, he was one of the best players of all time, and he is a gentleman inside and outside the court.

Which PSA Event is the most enjoyable for you and why?
Any PSA in my country is enjoyable. The most I enjoyed maybe is the Colombian Open in Bogotá: the club was the best I had been, I stayed with Miguel Rodríguez and his family, they treated me unbelievably well, the city and around was amazing and the 2 most important things to enjoy a tournament: nice people and to win it, and I had both.

Who is the funniest person on tour?
Hisham Ashour

Aspects of being a Touring Pro that you could do without?
Pushing my body as hard as I do

What contribution or impact would you like to make on squash now and after your playing career is over?
I just wanna enjoying playing and travelling at the moment and in the future i would like to pass my knowledge to another young players

If you could play another sport professionally, what would it be?
Tennis

Career-wise, if I wasn't a Touring Professional
I would be a business man or journalist

Who If you could spend one day with anybody or group, alive or dead who would it be? Why?
Juan Carlos de Borbón, the Spanish king and Che Guevara.  Because democracy in Spain would never have been realised without our king, and that is the most important thing for a country, to have our freedom.

Are we alone in the universe?
I hope, imagine if there better squash players in another planets and they move to here, I never could get the top ten...

Any fears or phobias?
Big dogs and any animal with big teeth

Favourite: 
 Athlete: Lionel Messi 
 Music: spanish 
 Movies: gladiator 
 Book: biography of Che Guevara 
 Food: Churrasco (argentinian meet on the grill) 
 Off-season: beach, party, sleep well... 
 Sports: tennis 
 Sports: soccer

Dream car?
For me a car is not a dream, i would say my Renault Megane Coupe, because i like it

Dream vacation destination?
Australia and a hot island on the middle of nowhere

Dream date?
If I was in the 60´s I would love to have a dinner with Marilyn with Elvis jealously playing a song for us

Celebrity or world figures you would love to meet?
Fidel Castro, because i like history and he must be like an open book.

Life after squash … career, personal?
Have an enjoyable job, well paid if possible and have two or more kids with my wife (which at the moment is my girlfriend), I hope I can still enjoying the company of my parents for a long time and practice another sports. Have a small dog and a big garden and live forever in the place I was born, Santiago.

What is your guilty pleasure, reward, recreation? 
I love good food, lots of it.

Three words to describe yourself
friendly , doubtfull and honest

When I travel, the thing I miss the most:
girlfriend

When I pack my bags for a tournament, I make absolutely sure I don’t forget ______________
raquets, squash shoes, sporting clothes, money and computer.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Be more patient sometimes

Career Low-point (loss, injury, other): Injury in the first round of a PSA event in my home city in November of last year. I was unable to compete for one month.

Top 2 Career Hi-lights: My first PSA championship in Italy in 2002 coming from the qualifications and winning my first national title in Palma de Mallorca in 2002.

Despite the challenges, demands and mixed rewards of being a pro player … what keeps your fire burning?
When I finish I would like to be proud of my career

What is your Everest, ultimate accomplishment yet to achieve?
Top 10 and if i make it top 5.

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