Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Commonwealth gold medallist Ang Li Peng obtains law degree
KUALA LUMPUR: Badminton gold medallist Ang Li Peng has gone on to conquer another “court” since hanging up her racquet in 2003.
Always one to overcome the odds, the gritty 29-year-old from Banting achieved her goal of obtaining a law degree, graduating last month at the University of Manchester.
Major victory: Ang with a picture of her and former doubles partner Lim Pek Siah after they won the Commonwealth doubles gold in 2002.The pair had created history by being the first Malaysians to win the Commonwealth doubles’ gold medal.
“I achieved my ultimate dream of winning gold before retiring. How many people have had the chance to do that?” asked the once-shy girl who is now a confident law graduate.
Her success in, and out, of the badminton court certainly did not come easy.
“I could not even speak English properly and used to stutter. Imagine how difficult it was for me when I did my A-levels in 2005, seven years after taking my SPM exam,” she said, adding that she made the decision to quit the sport and return to her books as she realised that a good education would secure her future.
Admitting that there were times when she felt like throwing in the towel, she said she also lost direction and did not know what course to pursue at one juncture.
Fortunately, she never let these initial problems affect her. She completed her A-levels before pursuing her Bachelor of Law degree at the university.
“It was akin to a badminton novice playing with Lin Dan, who sprays unpredictable shots all over the court. But the person gets better after playing with him several times,’’ she said.
Ang reserved special words of praise for her family, and friends like badminton lover Datuk Seri Andrew Kam, who owns the KLRC badminton club which has sponsored many badminton players around the world.
The determined Ang said she took up law because she believed in “justice, fair play and equality”.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Perfect role model
Fifty years ago, on Merdeka Day, he was inspired to make it big in sports. Datuk Dr M. Jegathesan has scaled great heights in athletics, winning plenty of plaudits and accolades. His passion for sports has not waned.
DATUK Dr M. Jegathesan flashed a broad smile. “You can call me the almost 50-year Merdeka man!” he grinned. “That's exactly how long I have been involved in sports.”
Indeed, he is.
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Tan Sri Dato' Dr. M. Jegathesan |
It was on Merdeka Day that Jegathesan was inspired to make it big in sports as a 14-year-old.
“I was studying in Singapore when I was younger. I came back to witness (the declaration of) Merdeka. I was at the Selangor Padang on the eve and the morning of the celebration. My dad (N.M. Vasagam), a financial assistant, was busy with the celebration,” said Jegathesan.
“My dad was really into sports. In fact, he was the founder member of the Federation of Malaya Olympic Council (now the Olympic Council of Malaysia). I remember that he paid the RM25 registration fee. That was big money those days,” he smiled again.
In fact, both Jegathesan’s father and brother M. Harichanda were members of Malaysia’s first-ever contingent to the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.
“My father was then the team manager of the first Malaysian squad to the Olympics and my brother took part in the 800m. That was when I became aware of the Olympics,” he said.
“Those days, we did not have television. I went to a cinema two months after the Melbourne Olympic Games. Usually, 15 minutes before the movie, they would begin with the news. On that day, they showed clips of the Games. I knew what it meant to be an Olympic winner.
“But it was on Independence Day that I was really inspired.
“I remember the national anthem was played for the first time and the Malaysian flag was raised. It was great to be part of that historic moment,” recalled Jegathesan.
“At that moment, I told myself that it would be great to hear the national anthem and see the Malaysian flag raised again when I win honours in sports for the country.
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Still in the fray: Jegathesan (third from right) talking to some athletes back in 1985. |
Just four years later, the national flag was raised three times – just for him – at the 2nd SEAP Games in Rangoon.
The rest is history. M. Jegathesan remains probably the greatest sprinter the country has seen with his 100m and 200m records yet to be surpassed.
Athletics, however, was not his only forte.
While burning up the track, he also graduated as a medical doctor – earning him the famous nickname of “the Flying Doc”.
Later, he was involved in the country’s sports administration and is currently going strong as the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s (OCM) vice-president, a medical adviser (including serving for two years with a UNDP-affiliated council on health and research in Geneva) and a lecturer at the age of 63.
His 32 years in the Health Ministry also culminated in Jegathesan serving as the deputy director-general (research and technical support) and also the director of the Health Ministry’s research programme.
“Malaysia has changed and we have to understand and accommodate the changes. We cannot treat changes in sports in isolation. The society has changed and, naturally, it affects sports. Nowadays, it is hard to find a volunteer. Even volunteers want to be paid,” he said.
“But Malaysian sports is not all that bad. In the world, we are top in squash, top four in badminton, top three in bowling and top 12 in hockey. The success in sports for Malaysia has shifted from the basic sports like athletics to the new sports like bowling and squash.”
While in a pursuit of sporting glory, Jegathesan hopes that today’s athletes will not neglect intellectual growth.
“I remember that during my running days, when there was a break between runs, I would take out my small notebook and revise. This habit does not die, you know,” he said, pointing to his small notebook filled with scribbles.
“I still jot things down. But I try to keep up with times. I carry a thumb drive around – it is so much easier than carrying all the documents,” he laughed aloud.
“Now, with the e-mails, the communication barrier is broken. It is so fast that I make sure I check my mails twice a day to stay abreast.
“Our full-time athletes have spare time. What do they do with it? Sometimes, athletes need intellectual distraction. They need diversion from daily training routines. Sporting pursuit is not enough; it must be in tandem with intellectual pursuit. Then, there is a balance.”
Over the 50 years, the most significant changes would probably be the way the athletes are showered with incentives for the excellence in sports. Sports has, in fact, become an area in which one can make a living.
Jegathesan, the first Malaysian to win an Asian Games gold in 1962, agreed that sports has become a money-making business. Asked about his thoughts on this, he quoted what Czech athlete Emil Zatopek, a three-time gold medallist at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, said: “You do not win races with money in your pocket but you win it with courage in your heart and a dream in your head.”
Then again, he is from a different era.
With his courage and dream, Jegathesan has become a successful Malaysian personality in sports and in medicine – he has won both the National Sportsman award and the National Scientist award.
Now, 50 years on, it is for other 14-year-olds to be inspired by him.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Largest Single Collection Of Olympic Torches In Singapore for Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games
A collection of 16 original Olympic Games Torches on loan from The Olympic Museum Collections have arrived in Singapore ahead of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (Singapore 2010).
These Torches – from 16 Olympic Games spanning 1936 to 2008 – will be on display at two exhibitions in August: Blazing the Trail at Level 3 of the International Convention Centre, and More Than Winning, which will be held at the Youth Olympic Village (YOV). This will be the first time that such a large collection of Olympic Torches are on exhibition in Singapore.
The exhibitions are produced in partnership with a curatorial team from the Singapore Philatelic Museum as part of the Culture and Education Programme for athletes and the public. Through artefacts – such as the Torches and Olympic medals – informative exhibition panels and interactive multimedia exhibits, the exhibitions will vividly illustrate how Excellence, Friendship and Respect have propelled the Olympic movement, right though to the creation of the Youth Olympic Games.
GOH Kee Nguan, SYOGOC’s Chief Executive Officer, says, "It will be a rare opportunity for everyone to see 16 original Olympic Torches in Singapore. These Torches, kept since 1936, are rich treasures of the Olympic Movement. I hope Singaporeans and visitors will enjoy the exhibition and experience part of the rich Olympic history."
Tresnawati Prihadi, General Manager, Singapore Philatelic Museum, says, "The inaugural Youth Olympic Games is a once in a lifetime event. We are very honoured to have the privilege to be part of this milestone event."
Blazing the Trail Exhibition at ICC Level 3
Date: 15 August to 25 August 2010
Time: 10:00am to 9:30pm daily
Free Admission
More Than Winning Exhibition at the YOV
Date: 13 August to 25 August 2010
Time: 10:00am to 8:30pm daily
Open to residents and visitors to the YOV only
Singapore 2010 – Blazing the Trail