KENILWORTH-based squash player Sarah-Jane Perry came away with silver and bronze medals competing for Team England at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The squash player won silver in the women’s doubles event having also claimed bronze in the singles at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre.
Perry and partner Alison Waters were beaten 2-0 (11-8, 11-8) by New Zealand pair and defending champions Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy.
Perry said: “My partner Becky has been amazing taking up the slack with our five-month-old son Elijah so that I can train properly.
“It has been extra special him being here and being able to watch me throughout the games.”
The Kiwis raced into a 5-2 lead, before more aggressive court positioning from Perry and Waters allowed England to move 8-6 ahead.
However, New Zealand showed their class to score five successive points and win the first game before easing into a 9-4 lead in the second game.
Perry and Waters fought valiantly to remain in the contest at 9-7, cheered on by a raucous home crowd, only for the Kiwis to eventually take the match and the Commonwealth title.
Earlier in the week, Perry produced a memorable comeback to claim singles bronze against New Zealander King with a 3-2 win (6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 14-12).
Perry added: “I just had to keep focusing on the point in front of me. I just kept fighting, kept telling myself to keep fighting and I’ve come back from deficits before.
“That’s right up there with my best comebacks and I’m extremely proud of myself for leaving it all out there. In a certain way it does feel better (than silver) because I’ve won the last match.
“I was extremely proud of that silver medal [at Gold Coast 2018] and I’m extremely proud of this bronze medal and having so many of my friends and family able to come and see me win it and hopefully inspire some of the kids in the audience.”
