Gold medal in singles squash

After going down a set, Lucia Bicknell (West Vancouver) stormed back to defeat Charlotte Orcutt of Ontario 3-1 to win the gold medal in women’s singles.

It was a big win for Bicknell on many levels. Orcutt is the number one seeded player in the country, the Canada Winter Games is the biggest stage for squash players and TSN was there to film the encounter.

“She is a great player and I always love playing her. It was kind of a slow start for me but I managed to bounce back the next one and I got the momentum up and then won the next two,” said Bicknell. ” I think my coach Kevin for that game was really great and pumped me up and reiterated what we talked about before with the game plan. It was more of a mindset change for me and the crowd was amazing cheering me on giving me the energy to get back out there and take the next one.”

Bicknell said she came out nervous and it wasn’t until she was able to calm down that she hit her stride and paid more attention to the movements of her opponent.

“Once I calmed down I was able to hit my length and watch the shots she was making and make sure I was ready to volley and take the ball early,” said Bicknell.
 
That gold medal tied Team BC’s all-time gold medal mark of 28 medals won at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax.

Bicknell gushed over the venue and the experience she had at the Canada Winter Games

“It is a once in a lifetime experience for me and I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” she said. “I always looked up to the players that got to go to the Games and hoped that one day I would get to go.”