Geoff Hunt

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Geoff Hunt
AM MBE
Full nameGeoffrey Brian Hunt
Country Australia
ResidenceCanberra
Born (1947-03-11) 11 March 1947 (age 77)
PlaysRight Handed
Men's Singles
Highest ranking1 (February 1976)
World OpenW (1976, 1977, 1979, 1980)
Medal record
Men's squash
Representing  Australia
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1976 London Singles
Gold medal – first place 1977 Adelaide Singles
Gold medal – first place 1979 Toronto Singles
Gold medal – first place 1980 Adelaide Singles
Silver medal – second place 1981 Toronto Singles
Last updated: 20 December 2011.

Geoffrey Brian Hunt, AM MBE (born 11 March 1947), is a retired Australian squash player who is widely considered to be one of the greatest squash players in history.

Hunt was born in Melbourne and now resides in Queensland. [1] He won the Australian Junior Championship in 1963, and he first won the Australian Amateur Men's Championship in 1965.

Hunt was known for having great determination. He ultimately suffered back problems, which curtailed his career.

Career Overview[edit]

He was ranked the World No.1 squash player from 1975 to 1980. He won the World Open title four times. He was the event's inaugural champion, winning the competition on the first four occasions it was held (1976, 1977, 1979 and 1980). He also won the International Amateur Individual Championship three times (1967, 1969, and 1971), and the British Open (which was considered to be the effective world championship event involving both amateurs and professionals before the World Open began) eight times between 1969 and 1981. Hunt won 178 of the 215 tournaments he contested during his career.

After retiring as a player, Hunt served as the Head Squash Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport from 1985–2003, where he helped develop a new generation of Australian squash stars. He then worked for 8 years at the Aspire Academy in Doha, Qatar. Following his retirement and move back to Australia, he has continued to coach Qatari professional player Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi.

Recognition[edit]

In the 1972 New Years Honours Hunt was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to sport and international relations.[2] He became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 1982 Australia Day Honours[3] and received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.[4]

Hunt has been inducted into the World Squash Federation Hall of Fame and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.[5][6]

World Open final appearances[edit]

Wins (4)
Year Opponent in final Score in final
1976 Mohibullah Khan 7–9, 9–4, 8–10, 9–2, 9–2
1977 Qamar Zaman 9–5, 10–9, 0–9, 9–4
1979 Qamar Zaman 9–2, 9–3, 9–2
1980 Qamar Zaman 9–0, 9–3, 9–3
Runners-up (1)
Year Opponent in final Score in final
1981 Jahangir Khan 7–9, 9–1, 9–2, 9–2

British Open final appearances[edit]

Wins (8)
Year Opponent in final Score in final
1969 Cam Nancarrow 9–5, 9–4, 9–0
1974 Mo Yasin walkover (injury)
1976 Mohibullah Khan 7–9, 9–4, 8–10, 9–2, 9–2
1977 Cam Nancarrow 9–4, 9–4, 8–10, 9–4
1978 Qamar Zaman 7–9, 9–1, 9–1, 9–2
1979 Qamar Zaman 2–9, 9–7, 9–0, 6–9, 9–3
1980 Qamar Zaman 9–3, 9–2, 1–9, 9–1
1981 Jahangir Khan 9–2, 9–7, 5–9, 9–7
Runners-up (2)
Year Opponent in final Score in final
1970 Jonah Barrington 9–7, 3–9, 9–4, 9–4
1972 Jonah Barrington 0–9, 9–7, 10–8, 6–9, 9–7

Books[edit]

Geoff Hunt on Squash (London: Cassell) 1977.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Geoff Hunt on Jahangir Khan, squash in the 70s, Egypt and coaching in Qatar". Sportageous. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Geoffrey Brian Hunt". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Geoffrey Brian Hunt, MBE". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Geoffrey Brian Hunt, AM, MBE". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Squash Legends : Geoff Hunt". World Squash. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Geoff Hunt | Sport Australia Hall of Fame". Retrieved 6 February 2024.

External links[edit]

Sporting positions
Preceded by World No. 1
February 1976 – December 1980
Succeeded by