# Gamal Awad

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{{Short description|Egyptian squash player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox squash player
| image                   = 
| caption                 = 
| nationality             = Egyptian
| birth_date              = {{Birth-date|9 August 1955}}
| birth_place             = 
| death_date              = {{Death-date and age|6 November 2004|9 August 1955}}
| death_place             = [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria), Egypt
| height                  = 
| weight                  = 
| turnedpro               = 
| retired                 = 
| highest_ranking         = 3
| date_of_highest_ranking = January 1984
| medaltemplates          =
{{MedalSport | Men's [squash](/source/squash_(sport)) }}
{{MedalCountry | {{EGY}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [World Championships](/source/World_Squash_Championships)}}
{{MedalBronze | [1983 Munich](/source/1983_Men's_World_Open_Squash_Championship) | Singles}}
{{MedalCompetition | [British Amateur Championships](/source/British_Amateur_Squash_Championships)}}
{{MedalGold | 1977/1978 | singles}}
{{MedalGold | 1978/1979 | singles}}
}}

'''Gamal Awad''' ({{langx|ar|جَمَال عَوَض}}; 9 August 1955 – 6 November 2004) was an Egyptian [squash](/source/squash_(sport)) player. He reached a career high ranking of 3 [in the world](/source/squash_rankings) during January 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.squashinfo.com/player/1255-gamal-awad |title=Gamal Awad (Egypt) |website=Squash Info |access-date=17 May 2026}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Awad was the younger brother of [Mohammed Awad](/source/Mohammed_Awad_(squash_player)), another notable Egyptian squash player.<ref name=GS>{{cite book|last=Palmer|first=Michael|title=Guinness Book of Squash|year=1984|publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd|page=91|isbn=0-85112-270-1}}</ref> Awad became the Egyptian national champion in 1976, and won the [British Amateur championship](/source/British_Amateur_Squash_Championships) during the 1977/78<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19780207/289/0012 |title=Awad is British amateur champion |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=7 February 1978 |p=12|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref> and 1978/79 seasons.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004848/19790206/414/0038 |title=Leighton is given a fright |work=Daily Express |date=6 February 1979 |p=12|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref> He finished runner-up to [Jahangir Khan](/source/Jahangir_Khan) at both the 1982 World Masters and the 1983 [British Open](/source/British_Open_Squash_Championships).<ref name=GS/>

The match for which Awad is best remembered came at the [Chichester](/source/Chichester) Open in 1983 against Jahangir, which set a new world record for the longest squash match on record. The first game itself was a record for the longest single game in a squash match, as Awad recovered from 1&ndash;8 down to take the game 10&ndash;9 in 1 hour and 11 minutes. In the end, Jahangir won the match 9&ndash;10, 9&ndash;5, 9&ndash;7, 9&ndash;2 in 2 hours and 46 minutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19830331/612/0064 |title=Awad has champ in a sweat |work=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=31 March 1983 |page=64 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=16 May 2026}}</ref>

His first major open final was the 1980 World Masters title where he lost to [Mohibullah Khan](/source/Mohibullah_Khan) in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002139/19801108/031/0031 |title=Mohibullah is the master |work=Birmingham Mail |date=8 November 1980 |p=31 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=23 May 2026}}</ref>

He achieved the highest ranking of his career, World No. 3, in January 1984.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Squash Info {{!}} Gamal Awad {{!}} Squash |url=https://www.squashinfo.com/player/1255-gamal-awad |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.squashinfo.com}}</ref> Awad retired from the professional squash circuit in 1987, following problems with knee injuries.

Awad's acrobatic performances on the squash court earned him the nicknames "rubber man" and "grasshopper". He died of a [heart attack](/source/myocardial_infarction) on 6 November 2004 in [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria) at the age of 49.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.squashplayer.co.uk/gamal_awad.htm |title=Grasshopper dies suddenly |website=Squash Player |date=9 November 2004|access-date=16 May 2026}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060220165816/http://www.squashtalk.com/html/news/nov04/news04-11-518.htm Article at Squashtalk.com]}}
* [http://www.squashplayer.co.uk/gamal_awad.htm Article at Squashplayer.co.uk]
* {{Squash Info}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Awad, Gamal}}
Category:1955 births
Category:2004 deaths
Category:Egyptian male squash players
Category:20th-century Egyptian sportsmen

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gamal Awad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamal_Awad) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamal_Awad?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.