Country | New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | Kaitaia, New Zealand | 2 December 1979||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turned Pro | 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coached by | Nick Taylor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Racquet used | Harrow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Women's singles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | 6 (September 2008) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Last updated: 12 April 2022. |
Shelley Celia Kitchen MNZM (born 2 December 1979, in Kaitaia, New Zealand) is a female professional squash player from New Zealand. [1]
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Kitchen beat World No. 1 Nicol David of Malaysia in the third-place match to capture the women's singles Bronze Medal. [2] She also won a Silver Medal in the women's doubles, partnering Tamsyn Leevey. [3] Earlier in the year, Kitchen and Leevey won the women's doubles title at the World Doubles Squash Championships. In 2004, Kitchen finished runner-up in the mixed doubles at the World Doubles Squash Championships, partnering Glen Wilson.
Kitchen had her first child in February 2010. After getting sick in an attempt to come back for the 2010 Commonwealth games, she announced her retirement in December 2010. [4] In the 2011 New Year Honours, Kitchen was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sport. [5]
Sport in New Zealand largely reflects the nation's colonial heritage, with some of the most popular sports being rugby union, rugby league, cricket, association football, basketball, horse racing and netball, which are primarily played in Commonwealth countries. New Zealand has enjoyed success in many sports, notably rugby union, rugby league, cricket, America's Cup sailing, world championship and Olympics events, and motorsport.
Dame Valerie Kasanita Adams is a retired New Zealand shot putter. She is a four-time World champion, four-time World Indoor champion, two-time Olympic, three-time Commonwealth Games champion and twice IAAF Continental Cup winner. She has a personal best throw of 21.24 metres outdoors and 20.98 m indoors. These marks are Oceanian, Commonwealth and New Zealand national records. She also holds the Oceanian junior record (18.93 m) and the Oceanian youth record (17.54 m), as well as the World Championships record, World Indoor Championships record and Commonwealth Games record.
David Troy Palmer is a retired professional squash player from Australia. He won the Super Series finals in 2002, the World Open in 2002 and 2006; the British Open in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2008; and the Australian Open in 2008. He attained World No. 1 ranking in September 2001 and again in February 2006.
Leilani Rorani is a former New Zealand squash player. During her professional career, she reached the world number 1 ranking, won the British Open in 1999 and 2000, and finished runner-up at the World Open in 2000 and 2001.
Rachael Margaret Grinham is an Australian professional squash player. She won the World Open in 2007, and the British Open in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2009. She reached the World No. 1 ranking in August 2004 and held it for 16 consecutive months.
Natalie Marie Grinham is an Australian professional squash player. During her career, she has won three Commonwealth Games Gold Medals, and finished runner-up at both the World Open and the British Open. She reached the World No. 2 ranking in 2007. She represented Australia in international squash competitions up to 2006. She is married to the Dutch squash player Tommy Berden, and took up Dutch citizenship in February 2008. Both Tommy and Natalie became the first husband and wife team to win a joint championship in squash after winning the respective trophies at the inaugural edition of the Tranzparanz Open in June 2006 which was held in Almere, Netherlands.
Chris Walker is a male squash coach and former professional squash player from England.
New Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia was represented by 249 athletes competing in over 19 disciplines, with 119 officials. This was the largest team that New Zealand had ever sent to a Commonwealth Games.
Tania Bailey is a professional squash player from England.
Tamsyn Leevey is a professional squash player from New Zealand. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, she won a silver medal in the women's doubles, partnering Shelley Kitchen. Earlier in the year, Leevey and Kitchen won the women's doubles title at the World Doubles Squash Championships.
Glen Wilson is a squash coach and former professional squash player from New Zealand.
Robyn Cooper is a professional squash player from Australia. She reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 12 in 1996. At the 1998 Commonwealth Games, she won a Silver Medal in the women's doubles, partnering Rachael Grinham.
Louise Crome is a former professional squash player from New Zealand. She toured for 3 years reaching a world ranking of 22. She was a member of the New Zealand Women's Team between 2004 - 2008 and won titles in Finland, Vietnam and Welsh Opens, and second place in Mexico, Los Angeles, Toronto Opens and New Zealand Championships.
Lara Heta is a professional squash player from New Zealand.
Laura Jane Massaro is a retired professional squash player from England.
Joanna Edwards is a New Zealand international lawn bowls competitor. She has won two world titles and three Commonwealth Games gold medals.
Kasey Brown is a former professional squash player from Australia. She reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 5 in December 2011.
Joelle King is a professional squash player who represents New Zealand. She reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 4 in April 2014.
Campbell Grayson is a retired professional squash player who represented New Zealand. He reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 24 in February 2020.
Richard Howard Purser is a New Zealand badminton player who has won 33 New Zealand national badminton titles, including the men's singles on nine occasions. He competed at four consecutive Commonwealth Games, from 1966 to 1978, and won the bronze medal in the men's doubles with his brother, Bryan Purser, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.