SQUASH - Kitchen aims to go better than bronze

For the next three years Shelley Kitchen will be honing her squash skills as she eyes another Commonwealth Games medal.
Her father Colin will focus on learning the haka.
Both agree her father's haka performance was less than medal-winning after he leapt to his feet, tore off his shirt and slapped his chest when the Kaitaia lass claimed bronze at the games in Melbourne last year. Both are hoping they can go one better in Delhi come 2010.
Kitchen was back on home turf briefly at the weekend at the Kaitaia Tennis and Squash Club to play an exhibition against mate and world No.8 Madeline Perry.
The 27-year-old Northlander cracked her way into the World top 10 on the Women's International Squash Players Association (WISPA) international list last month, climbing three places from No.13 after winning the Australian Open in July.
She credits better off-court fitness training and more experience at the international level for her rise through the ranks.
"I was really surprised to see I had jumped three places ... that really doesn't happen often," Kitchen said. "On-court work is really hard on the body, especially the hips, back and joints. So I've just been out running which has has really helped my fitness."
Next season she wants to make it as high as No.8.
Following a hectic international playing stint, Kitchen will front up at the New Zealand Squash Open in Palmerston North early next monthto defend her national title. It's a tournament she won't be taking lightly.
"I'll have to look out for the young girls coming through who want to knock me off my perch. I was like that when I was young."
She will be back on tour with tournaments in Calgary, New York, England, Qatar, Hong Kong, and the World Championships in Madrid. Kitchen wants to better her individual bronze medal from the last games.
For Colin Kitchen, his Commonwealth Games training starts next month with a jaunt to the Rugby World Cup in France. A staunch All Blacks supporter, Colin expects to be pounding out a few haka while on tour.
"I'll get a few practice runs at the World Cup which will give me a good platform for the games," he said.
He is also considering enlisting the help of a local kapa haka teacher but could not confirm that this early in his training programme.
Meanwhile, about 130 people crammed into the Kaitaia club on Saturday to watch Kitchen and Perry battle it out in an 80-minute, five-game match.
The petite Northern Ireland athlete, tipping the scales at 54kg, was previously ranked as high as world No.6. She has played in three Commonwealth games and been on the WISPA tour for seven years.
In two previous encounters it was Kitchen who took the spoils.
The luck of the Irish evaded Perry again with Kitchen utilising the home advantage to win 10-9, 9-10, 9-6, 8-10, 9-3.
The court lines may have been worn and the walls extensively marked but the spectators watched a top game between two competitive and skilful international athletes.
The game was enough to inspire 13-year-old Kaitaia rugby player Brian Gore to take up the sport.
"I'm going to play squash now - that was fun. Shelley put her body on the line all the time and hit the ball hard ... and she won."
Kamo squash fan John Mitchell was also impressed with the skills shown on court by the two internationals.
"The chances of getting to see two of the world's top 10 players is pretty slim. To have them here in Kaitaia is a wonderful opportunity."