Yamba basks in the reflected glow of gold

Area News, 14 April 2018:

Cousins Donna Urquhart (right) and Cameron Pilley have won gold in the mixed doubles squash.

They already shared family, a hometown and their childhoods - but now cousins Donna Urquhart and Cameron Pilley share a mixed doubles squash title at the Commonwealth Games.

Urquhart and Pilley won gold after defeating Indian pair Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Saurav Ghosal on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Both a product of Yamba in northern NSW, the Australian duo grew up together but only began dreaming of sharing a home gold after competing as a doubles pairing last year.

"I watched Cameron become a professional player while I was still at school but I knew that's what I wanted to do from seeing him do it," a speechless Urquhart said.

"It wasn't until later on that we ended up playing together, but it's worked out alright."

Dozens of friends and family had travelled up for the Games, while Pilley also had a group of ten in-laws fly all the way from his wife's home in Denmark as part of a capacity Oxenford Studios crowd.

It is the third Commonwealth gold of his career, having won doubles in Delhi and Glasgow.

"Every other gold I've won is so special but to play in front of such a great Aussie crowd, we never get the opportunity to," Pilley said.

"To do it in front of friends and family that never get to see you play, and we walk away with a gold medal, it makes it even better.".....

Her Maj sez ta in 2012

From the bowels of Buck House, The Queen's Diamond Jubilee message:

Today, as I mark 60 years as your Queen, I am writing to thank you for the wonderful support and encouragement that you have given to me and Prince Philip over these years and to tell you how deeply moved we have been to receive so many kind messages about the Diamond Jubilee.

In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign and which my family and I look forward to seeing in many forms as we travel throughout the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth.

I hope also that this Jubilee year will be a time to give thanks for the great advances that have been made since 1952 and to look forward to the future with clear head and warm heart as we join together in our celebrations.

I send my sincere good wishes to you all.

ELIZABETH R.

Yamba's Cameron Pilley wins gold in Delhi

Yamba's Cameron Pilley and Taree's Kasey Brown have won gold in the mixed doubles squash competition at the Delhi Comonwealth Games. Pilley and Brown downed Kiwis Joelle King and Martin Knight 8-11, 11-7, 11-5.

The Age reported:  
The Australians appeared in trouble during an attritional opening game that went the way of the New Zealanders, but their superior agility and court movement eventually turned momentum their way. Pilley and Brown, both of whom had won bronze in earlier matches yesterday, clawed back from 3-0 down to win the second game, and breezed through the final game 11-5 to complete a forgettable afternoon for New Zealand in Delhi.

''We both played two matches today and we didn't lose,'' Pilley said. ''That's all we can do.''

Added Brown: ''It's very tiring. Your arm gets pretty sore. I think I've hit about a million forehands over the last four days. You get stiff, but I think doubles is more of a mental game … Physically it's different to singles.''

 Victory to Pilley and Brown may have bolstered Australia's lead atop the gold medal standings, but the team is on track to record its worst haul at the Commonwealth Games in 20 years. Australian teams have claimed in excess of 80 gold medals in each of their past four campaigns and, with just one day of competition remaining, they are guaranteed to fall short of that standard.

 Earlier, Brown and Donna Urquhart (also of Yamba) won bronze in an all-Australian third-place women's doubles play-off against Lisa Camilleri and Amelia Pittock. Pilley and Ryan Cuskelly also claimed bronze in the men's doubles over Scotland.

Yamba cousins selected for Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October

Cousins Cameron Pilley and Donna Urquhart have been selected in the Australian squash team that will compete at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Pilley, aged 27, and Urquhart, aged 23, are local products who started their squash experiences at the Yamba Squash Centre.

According to Squash Info Pilley's current ranking in world men's squash is 16th whilst Urquhart's ranking in women's squash is 18th.

Other members of the 2010 Australian Commonwealth Games squash team are:

Stewart Boswell 31 ACT
Ryan Cuskelly 22 NSW
Aaron Frankcomb 25 Tas
David Palmer 34 NSW
Kasey Brown 24 NSW
Lisa Camilleri 27 Qld
Melody Francis 21 Vic
Amelia Pittock 27 Vic

To further emphasise the success of squash on the NSW north coast it should be noted that Ryan Cuskelly is from Evans Head and Kasey Brown is from Taree.