Osama Khalifa

{{Short description|Egyptian squash player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox squash player | name = Osama Khalifa | image = Sam Khalifa Celebrates Winning The Collegiate National Title.png | caption = Khalifa celebrates winning the national collegiate title at Dartmouth College. | image_size = | fullname = Osama Khaled Khalifa | nickname = Sam | country = Egypt | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|3|19}} | birth_place = Cairo, Egypt | height = {{height|m=1.90|precision=0}} | weight = {{convert|86|kg|abbr=on}} | league = Ivy League | team = Columbia Lions | retired = Active | plays = Right-handed | coach = Amr Khaled Khalifa | racquet = Tecnifibre | education = Columbia (2014–present) | website =  | event = Career Highlights and Awards *4x 1st-team All-American (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) *4x 1st-team All-Ivy League (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) *3x Academic All-Ivy (2015, 2016, 2018) *3x Ivy League Player of the Year (2016, 2017, 2018) *Ivy League Rookie of the Year (2015) *William V. Campbell Performer of the Year (male), Columbia University (2017) *Skillman Award (2018) *Connie S. Maniatty Outstanding Senior Student Athlete (male), Columbia University (2018) | years_active = | highest_ranking = | date_of_highest_ranking = | current_ranking = | date_of_current_ranking = | titles = | finals = | WorldOpenresult = | medaltemplates = | updated =  }}

'''Osama Khaled Khalifa ''' ({{Langx|ar|أسامة خليفة }}) (born March 19, 1995, in Cairo, Egypt) is a professional squash player who competed for Columbia University. Khalifa was the #1-ranked US college squash player<ref>{{cite web|url=http://collegesquashassociation.com/2017/03/24/dunlop-mens-college-squash-final-individual-rankings-for-the-2016-2017-season/|title=Dunlop Men's College Squash Final Individual Rankings for the 2016 – 2017 Season|date=24 March 2017|work=collegesquashassociation.com|accessdate=28 April 2017}}</ref> and the 2017 Collegiate National Champion, the first-ever Columbia player to win the national title.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://collegesquashassociation.com/2017/03/05/columbias-khalifa-wins-2017-mens-individual-championship/|title=Columbia's Khalifa Wins 2017 Men's Individual Championship|date=5 March 2017|work=collegesquashassociation.com|accessdate=28 April 2017}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Born in Cairo, Khalifa first became a regional swimming champion, before turning his full attention to squash at age 10. He has four siblings, including older brother Amr Khaled Khalifa, who won the individual and team World Junior Squash Championships in 2010. Khalifa attended the Sakkara International School in Cairo. He then matriculated to Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts in 2012 as a high school junior, and graduated in 2014. Khalifa went on to attend Columbia University where he graduated with a B.A. in Statistics in May 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gocolumbialions.com//ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=211551880&DB_OEM_ID=9600|title = Student-Athletes Recognized at Academic Achievement Luncheon}}</ref>

==Junior Squash career== Khalifa trained with the Egyptian national team from age 11, and participated in all of the major international junior tournaments. He won the British Junior Open Squash Under-13 group in 2008 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.squashsite.co.uk/bjo/history/today08.htm|title=Finals 2008|work=squashsite.co.uk|accessdate=28 April 2017}}</ref> and the French Junior Open Squash U15 in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frenchjunioropen.com/palmares.php?lang=EN|title=FRENCH JUNIOR SQUASH OPEN|author=Germain Escriva|work=frenchjunioropen.com|access-date=2015-08-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924015522/http://www.frenchjunioropen.com/palmares.php?lang=EN|archive-date=2015-09-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> He also won the German Pioneer Cup U17 and the Dutch Junior Open in the U17 and U19 categories. At age 16, he was one of the youngest players ever to win the Dutch Junior Open.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/dutchjunioropen20111.htm|title=Dutch Junior Open Squash 2011, Amsterdam|work=squashsite.co.uk|accessdate=28 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/dutchjunioropen2010.htm|title=DutchJuniorOpen2010|work=squashsite.co.uk|accessdate=28 April 2017}}</ref>

In the summer of 2012, at age 17, Khalifa competed in the PSA Barossa Valley Open in Australia, where he beat the then world number 6 Paul Coll to reach the finals of his first professional squash tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/barossavalley2012.htm|title=Barossa Valley 2012|work=squashsite.co.uk|accessdate=28 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://squashmad.com/psa/psa-corren-cruises-to-fourth-title-in-a-row/|title=Squash Mad PSA/WSA: Corren and Francis drive off with Toyota titles - Squash Mad|work=Squash Mad|date=11 June 2012}}</ref>

In September 2012, Khalifa moved to the United States, enrolling at Deerfield Academy. Khalifa went undefeated during his two-year tenure at Deerfield. He led Deerfield Academy to finish at their best ever, 4th-place position at the United States High School Team Squash Championships held in Philadelphia in February 2013, and a 2nd-place finish at the New England Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deerfield.edu/scroll/2013/02/osama-sam-khalifa-squash-wiz/|title=Osama "Sam" Khalifa: Squash Wiz|work=deerfield.edu|accessdate=13 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308082321/https://deerfield.edu/scroll/2013/02/osama-sam-khalifa-squash-wiz/|archive-date=8 March 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> He won the New England High School Individual Championship title both years he competed, in 2013 and 2014.

Khalifa reached the finals of the US Junior Open Championship in December 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://squashmagazine.ussquash.com/2012/12/us-junior-open-2012/|title=US Junior Open 2012|work=ussquash.com|date=December 2012|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref> losing to compatriot Karim El Hammamy, who became the Individual World Junior Champion later that season. In February 2013, Khalifa represented the winning Egyptian national team in the World Junior Squash Championships in Wroclaw, Poland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsquash.org/ws/news/12008|title=Egyptians Dominate World Junior Quarter-Finals In Poland|work=World Squash}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://squashmad.com/breaking-news/wsf-egyptians-dominate-quarter-finals/|title=Squash Mad WSF: Egyptians dominate quarter-finals - Squash Mad|work=Squash Mad|date=19 July 2013|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref>

==College Squash career==

In September 2014, Khalifa matriculated to Columbia University. During his freshman year, Khalifa garnered the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award, was named a 1st Team All-American, and finished #2 in the Nation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209915451|title=Osama Khalifa Cruises To CSA National Championship Finals Match|work=gocolumbialions.com The Official Athletics Website of Columbia University in the City of New York|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209913412|title=Osama Khalifa Advances To Quarterfinals Of CSA National Championships|work=gocolumbialions.com The Official Athletics Website of Columbia University in the City of New York|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://columbiaspectator.com/sports/2015/03/04/inspired-older-brother-osama-khalifa-shines-squash-court|title=Inspired by older brother, Osama Khalifa shines on the squash court|work=Columbia Daily Spectator}}</ref>

In Spring 2015, the Columbia Lions climbed from 6th place to their best-ever 4th place overall at the United States Intercollegiate Team Squash Championships held at Trinity College in Connecticut. Khalifa was named a co-captain of the Columbia team for the 2015-16 year, the first sophomore captain in the history of the program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://collegesquashassociation.com/2015/06/17/2015-mens-college-squash-all-ivy-league-team-announced/|title=2015 Men's College Squash All-Ivy League Team Announced|work=collegesquashassociation.com|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/sports/msquash/index|title=Ivy League|work=ivyleaguesports.com|accessdate=13 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905190941/http://ivyleaguesports.com/sports/msquash/index|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209971012|title=Men's Squash Sweeps Major All-Ivy League Awards|work=gocolumbialions.com The Official Athletics Website of Columbia University in the City of New York|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref>

Over sophomore year, Khalifa set a 7–0 Ancient Eight record at the No. 1 position, becoming the second player in program history to earn Ivy League Player of the Year honors. A 9–0 regular season record and a CSA National Championships Pool Trophy (A Division) appearance led to his second consecutive 1st Team All-American and 1st Team All-Ivy selection.

Over junior year as co-captain, #1 nationally ranked Khalifa became the first-ever Columbia squash player to win a national championship, defeating Rochester's Mario Yanez in the finals of the Individual National Championships A Division held at Dartmouth College.<ref>http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9600&ATCLID=211514988 http://collegesquashassociation.com/2017/03/09/mens-college-squash-individual-championships-2017-pool-trophy-finals-video/ (CSA POOL 2017)</ref> At the CSA championship he posted wins over Drexel's Omar El Atmas, Harvard's Saadeldin Abouaish, and St. Lawrence's Mohamed El Gawarhy. Khalifa earned the 1st Team All-American and 1st Team All-Ivy honors for the third straight season and became the Ivy League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.<ref>http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9600&ATCLID=211537557 (ALL AMERICAN 2017)</ref><ref>https://deerfield.edu/alumni/news/2017/03/khalifa-14-named-ivy-league-player-of-the-year/10245422/ (PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2017)</ref> He was named the William V. Campbell Performer of the Year (male), Columbia University's top annual athletic award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9600&ATCLID=211583498|title = Columbia Athletics Hosts 96th Annual Varsity C Celebration}}</ref>

Over senior year, Khalifa lead the team to a historic first-ever Ivy League Championship title, clinching a 3–2 win over Harvard's Saadeldin Abouaish, and a 3–0 win over UPenn's Andrew Douglas to seal the title. Khalifa co-captained the Lions for a third year, posted a 12–2 regular season record at the No. 1 position, and became second-ever Columbia player to win the Skillman Award (most prestigious individual skill and sportsmanship award by the College Squash Association).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9600&ATCLID=211702763|title = Osama Khalifa Honored with 2018 Skillman Award}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://csasquash.com/2018/02/28/osama-khalifa-wins-skillman-award/|title = Osama Khalifa wins Skillman Award | College Squash Association}}</ref>

At the College Team Nationals, Khalifa went 3–0 with wins over Rochester's Ashley Davies, Harvard's Saadeldin Abouaish and St. Lawrence's Ahmed Bayoumy. Finishing off his college career, Khalifa won the Ivy League Player of the Year for a third consecutive year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9600&ATCLID=211701560|title = Khalifa Named Ivy Player of the Year, Senthilkumar Earns First Team}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ivyleague.com/news/2018/2/20/mens-squash-all-ivy-postseason-awards-announced.aspx|title=Men's Squash All-Ivy, Postseason Awards Announced|date=20 February 2018|website=ivyleague.com|accessdate=22 May 2023}}</ref> He was also unanimously selected, for the fourth consecutive year, as both First-Team All-Ivy League and First-Team All-American.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9600&ATCLID=211708227|title = Khalifa, Senthilkumar and Khanna Named All-Americans}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://csasquash.com/2018/03/22/2017-2018-all-americans-announced/|title = 2017-2018 All-Americans Announced | College Squash Association}}</ref> Khalifa was named the Connie S. Maniatty Outstanding Senior Student Athlete (male) during Columbia University's top annual athletic award in recognition of his illustrious college career.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180503112015/https://www.nmnathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9600&ATCLID=211714163/ NMN Athletics] </ref>

== Professional Squash doubles career == Khalifa began playing professional squash doubles on the Squash Doubles Association tour in March 2022. In April 2024, Khalifa became the first Egyptian to reach number one in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rankings {{!}} SDA Pro Tour |url=https://www.sdaprotour.com/rankings/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pierrepont |first=Suzie |date=2024-03-29 |title=Egyptian Double in Boston {{!}} SDA Pro Tour |url=https://www.sdaprotour.com/2024/03/egyptian-double-in-boston/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |language=en-US}}</ref> In the 2023–24 season, Khalifa won four titles, including the Diamond State Open in Wilmington,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pierrepont |first=Suzie |date=2023-12-14 |title=Diamond State Open Victory Boosts Bamber To #1 {{!}} SDA Pro Tour |url=https://www.sdaprotour.com/2023/12/diamond-state-open-victory-boosts-bamber-to-1/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |language=en-US}}</ref> the North American Open,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pierrepont |first=Suzie |date=2024-02-06 |title=Top Seeds Struggle At North American Open {{!}} SDA Pro Tour |url=https://www.sdaprotour.com/2024/02/top-seeds-struggle-at-north-american-open/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |language=en-US}}</ref> the MFS Boston ProAm,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Club Locker |url=https://clublocker.com/tournaments/16160/draws?divisionId=229&sectionId=38&viewMode=detailed&offset=0 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=clublocker.com}}</ref> and the Kellner Cup.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Club Locker |url=https://clublocker.com/tournaments/15613/draws?divisionId=229&sectionId=38&viewMode=detailed&offset=4 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=clublocker.com}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == *[http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209539067 - Khalifa's Career at Columbia] *{{Squash Info|4721-osama-khalifa}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khalifa, Osama Khaled}} Category:Egyptian male squash players Category:Living people Category:1995 births Category:Deerfield Academy alumni Category:Squash players from Cairo Category:Columbia Lions men's squash players Category:Columbia College, Columbia University alumni Category:21st-century Egyptian sportsmen Category:21st-century American sportsmen