Squash legend Jahangir Khan turns 55

ISLAMABAD, Dec 10 (APP):Squash legend, Jahangir Khan, former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is considered to be the greatest player in the history of squash turned 55 on Monday.

Jahangir Khan was born on December 10, 1963 into a Pashtun family originally from Neway Kelay Payan, Peshawar. During his career he won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times. From 1981 to 1986, he was unbeaten in competitive play. During that time he won 555 matches consecutively, the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sports as recorded by Guinness World Records. He retired as a player in 1993, and has served as President of the World Squash Federation from 2002 to 2008.
Jahangir was coached initially by his father, Roshan, the 1957 British Open champion, then by his late brother Torsam. After his brother’s sudden death he was coached by his cousin Rehmat Khan, who guided Jahangir through most of his career. Jahangir was physically very weak as a child. Though the doctors had advised him not to take part in any sort of physical activity, after undergoing a couple of hernia operations his father let him play and try out their family game.
In 1979, the Pakistan selectors decided not to select Jahangir to play in the world championships in Australia, judging him too weak from a recent illness. Jahangir decided instead to enter the World Amateur Individual Championship and, at the age of 15, became the youngest-ever winner of that event.
His achievements include victory in World Amateur Championships at age of 15.He became the youngest ever World Open Champion at 17 and remained unbeaten in 555 consecutive matches over 5 years and 8 months. He won the British Open Championship 10 times in succession, besides victory in six-times World Open Champion. He also became the first player to win World Open Championships without dropping a game and played the second longest match in the squash history 2.46 hours.