Joel Makin
Joel Makin (/ˈmeɪkɪn/, born 27 October 1994) is a Welsh professional squash player.
Country | Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Residence | Birmingham, England | ||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Pembrokeshire, Wales | 27 October 1994||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Turned Pro | 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | Active | ||||||||||||||||||||
Plays | Right Handed | ||||||||||||||||||||
Coached by | Independent | ||||||||||||||||||||
Racquet used | Karakal Raw Pro 2.0 (Joel Makin Signature Racquet) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Men's singles | |||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 8 (September 2023) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current ranking | No. 8 (September 2023) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Title(s) | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tour final(s) | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Last updated: February 2022. |
Makin was born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. He played squash at Aberdare Junior Squash Club under coaches Bob Gould, Clive Roberts and Dave Cope, and represented Wales at Under-13s level in 2007. He left Aberdare at 18 and, forgoing university, trained at West Warwickshire Club under the guidance of Rob Owen until parting ways to become independent.
He won the Kent Open in 2017, beating Joshua Masters in straight sets, and the Tring Open in 2018. He reached the semifinals of the men’s singles squash competition at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, losing out to Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan in the bronze medal match. Makin qualified for the 2018 British Open Squash Championships where he lost in the first round to Mohamed Abouelghar. He beat the world number one, Mohamed El Shorbagy, to reach the quarterfinals of the Channel VAS Championships in October 2018. As of February 2022, he was ranked number 8 in the World and 1 in Wales.
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Makin was selected to represent Wales, and won a silver medal in the Men's Singles.