Iwaasa captures double gold

By Lethbridge Herald on May 26, 2025.

Mckenzie Brayley PHOTO Coby Iwaasa, in grey, and Sam Murray battle in the MenÕs Open Singles Division Final at the National Championships on Saturday.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge racquetball player Coby Iwaasa captured double gold at the Racquetball Canada National Championships in Burlington, Ont., over the weekend after competing at the week-long event.

For the first time in a decade, Iwaasa won the Men’s Open Singles Division over six-time defending champion, Quebec’s Sam Murray, on Saturday  in four games (11-6, 3-11, 11-4, 11-4.).

“Sometimes when you lose to the same guy over and over and over, it can be a little bit of a confidence shaker,” said Iwaasa.

“ When it finally came together, it was just a huge relief  to know that  finally everything I put into this game, everything I did for myself and all the help I received paid off.”

Iwaasa felt more calmness heading into the final match than he normally would.

“I felt as if I was hitting the ball 10 miles an hour slower but more controlled and more accurate,” said Iwaasa.

“This type of calmness (where) I waited an extra half second to hit the ball rather than hitting  it a half second earlier and trying to take control.”

Iwaasa plans on working  to recreate the match in terms of what went right for him  for something to build on.

“I wanna recreate the style of play that I did there, how I executed each point, how I thought about each point and be able to do that more often,” said Iwaasa.

Iwaasa and playing partner Kurtis Cullen won the Men’s Open Doubles on Friday in four games (11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5)  over Leyton Gouldie and Asher Pocsai.

“Our style of play is what makes it really difficult for a lot of players,” said Iwaasa.

“When people come and face us, especially in the doubles court, where doubles is now  a  much faster pace than singles, people have to almost adjust.”

Iwaasa  now prepares for the world championships in China that will be in August.

This was Iwaasa’s eighth nationals title.

Naman Gauri, also of Lethbridge, finished third in the 21U division.