JAHANGIR Khan, the greatest athlete ever? His record of winning 555 consecutive matches is one of the great achievements which make him the legend. His class of play is unmatchable in the world of squash.
The Khan dynasty started from the valley of the Khyber Pass where Abdul Majid Khan, laid the foundation of the greatest squash dynasty the world will ever know. From there emerged four great champions who were responsible for launching their family talents in the world. Hashim Khan who is responsible for establishing firm foundations for squash in Pakistan; Roshan Khan who is considered the best touch player ever; Azam Khan, four time British Open champion; Mohibullah Khan, one time British Open champion and five times North American champion. Throughout the history of squash, the most exciting times were when a Khan was amidst in creating miracles in squash.
Jahangir Khan was born in the Khan family on 10 December, 1963. He was weak child from birth and had hernia problem. The doctors forbade him from playing the games of his ancestors because of his poor health. “I was told I would never become world champion. I was the youngest, smallest, feeblest and sickest of the family. Neither the doctor nor my father believed there was any chance for me to become a good squash player” – says Jahangir Khan in his book ‘Winning Squash’.
But naturally, Jahangir Khan got the taste of his family sports. Jahangir Khan started playing squash at age of 10, at his father’s club in Karachi. Initially he was trained by his father, Roshan Khan. After that, he also received training from his late brother, Torsam Khan who had been an amazing squash player and passed away in 1978 because of a heart attack during a match in Australia. This proved to be the inspiration for Jahangir because he went to achieve all that his brother dreamed for him.
Jahangir Khan first competed internationally in an unofficial 1978 World Junior Championship where he lost in the semi-finals. After that, PIA sent 15-year-old Khan to compete in World Amateur Championship in Australia where he met Lars Kvant, who was then ranked in the top five. Khan went down 0-2 before coming back to win in five. This match proved to be the pivoting point in the career of Khan. So, this was the world of squash. A 15-year-old had beaten the best players in the tournament. Khan received a setback after that, because of the death of his brother. Though two years later, he honoured the memory of Torsam’s by defeating the Australian squash legend Geoff Hunt to become, at 17, the youngest winner of the World Open. Geoff Hunt resurrected himself in British open and defeated Khan in two hours 24 minutes match. But that was the last time Khan would ever face defeat for a long time.
Khan’s strategy then and for years to come reminded everyone of matador’s —— to wear down his opponent nerves and strength, slowly, in bits, before attacking with shear ferociousness. Khan believed in training and good lord, he trained so remarkably to sweep away all of his opponents. In five years and eight months from 1981 to 1986, the Pakistani squash player was unbeaten in five hundred and fifty five (555) matches and four World Open championships. He had won six World Open trophies. From 1982 to 1991, he won ten British Open titles in a row. He is the only squash player who has dominated as number one in international and North American hardball squash at the same time. He was the first player to win World Open Championships without dropping a game. In recognition of ruling the game for five years, Guinness Book of World Record declared his winning streak to be the longest by any top-level athlete. Jahangir Khan’s achievements brought him the title of “The King of Squash” and pundits of Squash dubbed him “the greatest squash champion”.
His surprising but inevitable defeat from unbeatable five-year run came from New Zealand’s Norman Ross in the World Open’s final.
Jahangir Khan had been dubbed as the fittest player of the planet. “Hard work, discipline, commitment and ambition. To be the best, I had to work harder than everyone else. I trained for 8 hours a day, 6 days a week.” – is how Jahangir himself explains the reasons for his remarkable success.
Jahangir Khan retired in 1993 after helping Pakistan to win the World Team championship in Karachi. In 1990 he was elected chairman of the Professional Squash Association and after his playing career finished he was elected as vice-president of the Pakistan Squash Federation in 1997. He was elected as vice-president of the World Squash Federation in November 1998 and then from 2002 —— 2008 was president of the World Squash Federation. Jahangir became Emeritus President of the WSF in 2008.
The Government of Pakistan has honoured Jahangir Khan with the awards of Pride of Performance, Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Pakistani civil award) and Sportsman of the Millennium. Time Magazine has named Jahangir as one of Asia’s heroes in the last 60 years. Jahangir Khan was conferred with an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by London Metropolitan University for his contributions to the sport.
Jahangir Khan lists defeating Geoff Hunt for the first time and winning the tenth British Open Championship as his most memorable achievements.
He is indeed one of the finest sportsman and a legend. He provided Pakistan with honour. If winning is the rule to judge an athlete, Jahangir Khan will emerge as the best. Period. He has all the qualities to dub him as the king in squash. So is he the greatest athlete ever? There is certainly no doubt about it.