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Sports book reviews: Fitting tributes to maverick giants Senna and Khan
The word genius is often misused in these hype heavy times, however two sportsmen who can rightly lay claim to the word have been profiled recently in books.
Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna has been in the news again after Lewis Hamilton, who idolised him growing up, matched his record for 65 pole positions at the recent Canadian Grand Prix.
While the British three-time world champion is fast approaching iconic status of his own on the track, it is worth remembering the maverick talent of the Brazilian who came before him.
Ayrton Senna: The Last Night, edited by Giorgio Terruzzi, is a pictorial delight, packed full of photographs by celebrated photographer Ercole Colombo that give us an emotional insight into every part of the São Paulo native’s much chronicled life.
Of course there are many great pictures of his titanic duels with the likes of close rival Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Niki Lauda together with some eye catching shots of him excelling in the rain, his wet prowess as near to sporting perfection as you can get.
Whether it was the strong bond he shared with his adoring fans or his loyalty to family and friends, including close pal Gerhard Berger, the photos highlight the incredible impact the deeply philosophical Senna had on everyone.
The excellent Senna documentary by Asif Kapadia created a new generation of fans and this touching tome is a worthy companion piece in remembering one of sport’s finest.
Squash is a sport whose popularity has dramatically declined since Senna’s time, which is unfair as it still provides intense sporting spectacle at the top of the game.
Rod Gilmour and Alan Thatcher’s book Jahangir Khan 555: The Untold Story Behind Squash’s Invincible Champion and Sport’s Greatest Unbeaten Run is a heartfelt look into the career of, arguably, squash’s greatest exponent.
The Pakistani player ruled the roost in the 1980s and early ‘90s before his younger rival Jansher displaced him at the top of the tree.
Gilmour and Thatcher take us back to the fascinating roots of Jahangir’s dominance, his family’s impressive history in the sport providing a firm foundation for a young Jahangir to learn his trade both in Asia and London where better opponents could be recruited.
The book charts his rise from awkward amateur to polished professional with an easy charm, ribald stories of his fellow pros such as Kevin Shawcross helping the flow immensely.
With Jahangir often beating opponents 9-0 9-0 9-0 in major finals, it is clear that he was a phenomenal practitioner of a sport that has sadly been overlooked for several Olympics now despite the much needed coverage and money that inclusion could provide.
Jahangir’s amazing 555-match unbeaten run understandably provides the main thrust, a feat that clearly puts him at the same level as other sporting greats such as Muhammad Ali, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, Lindsey Vonn and Serena Williams.
Along with The Last Night, 555 is a fitting tribute to an athlete who broke down barriers and set records at every turn who still represents squash worldwide with honour.
