The Chileshe brothers are the New Zealand men’s doubles champions.
They hail from Hamilton, and are based in the United Kingdom, where they play professionally.
But they are no strangers to Cromwell, where grandparents Hugh and Janet Derham and uncle Paul Derham have lived since 2017, and where Hugh Derham is the treasurer of the Cromwell Squash Club.
On Wednesday, the brothers spent more than 12 hours coaching Cromwell juniors in free one-on-one clinics.
Yesterday, they planned to cycle the Lake Dunstan Trail, and this weekend they will head to Wanaka, to play in the annual Queen’s Birthday squash tournament.
"Fingers crossed we will both make the final," Temwa said.
"There is a draw of eight, so there will be semifinals and finals and hopefully we will play each other in the final, and there should be a good opportunity for people to come watch."
Wanaka Squash Club president Tony Johnston said this week the tournament had attracted the strongest men’s field in the club’s 40-year history.
Former Otago junior representative Oliver Johnston, of Christchurch, was also in the draw, he said.
"This is very exciting news for squash in the Central Otago district . . . [the Chileshe brothers] recently returned from playing professionally in England and will be in top form," Johnston said.
Otago junior representative Brooke Madden (17), of Cromwell, has known the brothers for many years.
Her goals were to make the A grade and convince Temwa Chileshe he should select her as his mixed doubles player, she said.
"I want to make a team and travel and play like they do. I have just loved squash since I was little," she said.
Lwamba Chileshe is ranked second in New Zealand and Temwa Chileshe is third, behind No 1 Paul Coll, of Greymouth.
The brothers were expecting their international rankings to be confirmed this week. Lwamba Chileshe hoped to break into the top 100 with his brother not too far behind.
The Chileshe brothers are coached by Sheffield’s Nick Matthew, a three-time world champion. The brothers will return to Sheffield in October.
Also selected this week in the New Zealand squash team for the Commonwealth Games were Coll, defending Commonwealth singles and doubles champion Joelle King, her doubles team-mate Amanda Landers-Murphy, Kaitlyn Watts and Abbie Palmer.
