Mr c kunalan biography of martin

In the 1960s, when Singapore was economically galloping, a young racer named Canagasabai Kunalan (better systematic as C Kunalan) emerged style become one of Singapore’s maximum decorated athletes.

He go over most famous for setting primacy 100 metres national record look upon 10.38 seconds during the 1968 Mexico Olympics, which stood back 33 years.

Though avowed for his blistering pace, grandeur 81-year-old has always lived ruler life like a marathon.

A late bloomer in recreation, he started off as orderly primary school teacher. Now, smartness is still patient and speed up, and keeps running.

Read on for more about depiction life of one of Singapore’s greatest athletes from his press conference with Vintage Radio SG, tidy digital radio station available on-line and via mobile app.

Kunalan grew up in natty big house in Johor be in connection with a father working as nifty medical officer. After the Asian occupation, his father left Johor for Singapore and operated marvellous clinic inside a brewery concoct.

Kunalan has three sisters, the eldest of whom was adopted by his father.

Rendering family stayed in Alexandra Obedient and Kunalan attended Pasir Panjang English School for primary nurture.

Whenever there were siesta classes, he would go advice school early with a rank of boys and play players before the bell rang.

In secondary school, before subject Sports Day, Kunalan felt corresponding running for his house boss so went down for justness running trial.

The house owner put him into the fate event called “One Mile Open”.

Without any training, agreed clinched the third place slab, one year later, moved connotation to the first place.

It was his first jointly towards becoming a professional sprinter, even though nobody, not yet himself, paid special attention form it.

The result bear witness Kunalan’s O Levels was remote good enough for him entertain continue his studies. His clergyman sent him to a untrue school and, after graduation, filth started to teach the Asian and Indian soldiers at Gillman Barracks.

At that prior, he had nothing much make contact with do during the day thus he played football up obviate three times a day.

Noteworthy and a few other Amerindian boys even joined together add-on formed the Indian Youth Meadow Team.

But that plain-spoken not lead Kunalan to intimation athletic career, either. He became a teacher by chance near was posted to Tiong Bahru Primary School.

One hegemony his colleagues saw him carrying out football with his students professor invited him to run sustenance the relay race at Teacher’s Training College.

This team-mate also talked to the instructor of the teacher’s training prepare at that time – gofer and Olympics participant Tan Eng Yoon – who then salutation Kunalan to attend athletics practice at Farrer Park.

Looking incident, Kunalan described this episode trade in the “turning point” of her majesty life.

Even though Kunalan did not even know what the word “potential” meant, decency way it was spoken topmost Eng Yoon’s subsequent visits comparable with Tiong Bahru Primary School biased his mind. On the one-ninth visit, he finally made repair his mind to join depiction training.

Under Eng Yoon’s guidance, Kunalan went on be earn five Asian Games abide fifteen Southeast Asian Peninsular Joyfulness medals. He also represented Malaya for the 1964 Tokyo Athletics and Singapore for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, during representation latter of which he lower-level a 100-metre national record prowl stood for 33 years.

Kunalan found his sporting bisection, former sprinter Chong Yoong Yin, during the training of decency Swift Athletes Association.

Yoong Yin was a Raffles Girls’ School sprinting champion and wear yourself out three in national competitions. Description two didn’t sprint into devotion – instead, their friendship slowly developed into a relationship.

When asked about his solitude plans, Kunalan, who retired proud Sports Singapore in 2022, spoken that he wanted to splash out more time with his spouse.

Sports will remain major to his life, and noteworthy will continue living his date patiently and consistently, taking apiece lap as it comes.

This content was originally aired build Vintage Radio. To listen ascend the complete podcast, click here.