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Senior Warkworth Rackets’ squash player Brett Meyer has finished in the world’s top seven at the recent World Squash Federation’s World Masters Championships in Amsterdam.
Meyer, who lives in Matakana, was one of 1227 entrants in the 8-day mixed tournament for players aged from 35 to 80-plus, which ran from August 15 to 22. He was initially seeded 11th in his section.
“I was playing in the 60-plus age group category, which had 128 entrants from more than 40 different countries,” he said.
Meyer sailed through the first four rounds, beating opponents from Germany, Canada, Australia and England, but was beaten by Brit and third seed, Eamonn Price, in the quarter finals.
He eventually finished seventh in the play-offs, after beating fellow Kiwi and 10th seed Tony Griffin, who has been coaching squash in Barcelona for the past 20 years.
“It was amazing – an incredible experience meeting fellow squashies from around the world,” he said.
“Plus the chance to experience the vibrancy of Amsterdam was a real treat. And, of course, to have my wife Sami with me was extra special.”
This was not the first World Masters for Meyer – he played in Christchurch in 2008, finishing in the top 16 – and he said, after his success in Amsterdam, it wouldn’t be his last.
“The next World Masters will be held in Melbourne in 2026. Now that I know who and what I am up against I will be better prepared,” he said. “Hopefully we can encourage many more Kiwis to take part in biggest squash masters event in the World Squash Federation calendar.”
His achievement in Amsterdam is just the latest in a string of successes for Meyer, who has been with Warkworth Rackets since moving to the area from Howick more than five years ago.
Last year, he scored the ‘three-peat’ of winning all three Trans-Tasman tests against his Australian age group opponent, helping Team NZ to win the series; winning the National NZ age group final in the 60-plus group; and going through unbeaten in the Masters Interprovincial teams event for Auckland, which then took the national title.
Meyer is taking it easy for a while after his efforts in Amsterdam, travelling north through Scandinavia until later this month.
