Hong Kong, China squash player Simmi Chan secured a historic silver medal at the inaugural Under-23 World Squash Championships in Pakistan.

The fourth-seeded Chan launched a fierce battle in the women’s title decider against Egypt’s top seed Fayrouz Abouelkheir, stretching the opening game to a tense tie-break before narrowly conceding it 10-12 after 28 minutes of relentless rallies.

Though the SAR athlete fought hard, Abouelkheir capitalised on her momentum to claim the subsequent games 11-9 and 11-6, sealing the championship victory.

Despite the defeat, Chan’s performance marked a milestone for Hong Kong, as she became the city’s first female athlete to secure a silver medal at the tournament.

Her path to the final included a first-round bye followed by dominant victories over opponents from South Africa, Japan, and a hard-fought semifinal triumph against Malaysia’s Yee Xin-ying.