Joelle King with her gold medal for the women's doubles at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Aotearoa's most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete will be missing from the 2026 event in Glasgow.
Squash was one of several sports axed for a scaled down version of the Games, ruling out eight-time medallist Joelle King.
King's medals include five golds, but she will not be adding to the tally in 2026.
Softening the blow slightly is the fact squash will be in the Olympics for the first time in 2028, but King said NZ Squash has such a rich history at the games, and it has long been the pinnacle event for players.
"It's sad, I've been going to the games since I was 21 and so to not be a part of that again, is not great. It's a real shame, at the end of the day, we're not the only sport that missed out and maybe they're not as fortunate as us to now be in the Olympics and that's a huge blow."
But King said squash will be losing something special.
"This has been the pinnacle of my whole career. It's been the driving force and obviously it's been nice to be successful there as well. That's been the biggest thing of my career, is, is becoming the most decorated athlete at the Commonwealth Games. I just hope that it's not the end for the Games overall."
King questioned why such a versatile sport was culled for what they were told were issues with space.
"It's a glass court of four walls that can kind of be set up anywhere, we play at the pyramids and castles and things like that, so I was a bit surprised. But unfortunately, they've gone with the sports that they felt fit within those constraints that they have. And unfortunately, we're just, we just have to wear it."
Squash debuted at the Kuala Lumpur 1998 Commonwealth Games and has been in every Games since.
In that time, it has become one of New Zealand's most successful Commonwealth Games sports, with squash athletes collecting an impressive 16 medals, including eight golds.
King said the Games brought plenty of eyeballs to the sport.
"That is the time when sports like squash are at the forefront of the mainstream media and you see the participation levels go up. It's one less bit of exposure the sport gets."
King's first games was in Delhi in 2010 where she won gold in the doubles with Jaclyn Hawkes and silver in the mixed doubles with Martin Knight.
More gold came in the singles and doubles on the Gold Coast in 2018 with King's fourth and fifth gold medals coming in Birmingham in 2022 in the doubles and mixed doubles.
She feared the loss of squash could have a domino effect on the Commonwealth Games.
"I think it's really worrying for the future of the Commonwealth Games for sure."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.