Canagasabai Kunalan

Canagasabai Kunalan was a former SingaporeCanagasabai Kunalan had to settle for silver in his
sprinter whose sprinting accomplishment in thepet event, the 100m and 200m. He clocked 10.6
60's and 70's saw him achieving two Olympicsseconds and 21.8 seconds respectively. Gold
participations, five Asian Games and nineeluded him once again when his men's 4x100m
Southeast Asian Peninsular Games medals. He willrelay team of Yeo Kian Chye, Wong Fey Wan
always be much remembered for his men's 100mand Natahar Bava, finished second best for silver
record of 10.38 seconds which stood firm for 33(41.3 seconds). Kunalan also ran in the men's
years before being broken in 2001. He has a4x400m relay event, and it also didn't fair much
personal best of 10.38 seconds in the 100m, 21.3better for him as the team of Natahar Bava, Mun
seconds in the 200m and 47.9 seconds in theCheong Ho and Gunasena Migale could only
400m events.managed a bronze (3:20.50)
Kunalan started running quite late and retired earlyBy now, the 25 year old Kunalan was becoming
when a heel injury halted his true potential. Therean experienced runner, with plenty of local and
have been notions raised by the media if he couldoverseas races under his belt. He was one of the
probably have achieved much more if he were totop sprinters in the Asian region and that potential
start running much earlier than discovering it atshowed when he was sent for his second
the age of 21 years old, or the fact if his AchillesOlympic appearance. At the 1968 Mexico Games,
injury hadn't forced him to retire at the age of 28he reached as far as the 100m Quarter-Finals
years old from sprinting during the end of 1970clocking 10.38 seconds, which stood as the
when he was at the peak of his prime.national record for 33 years. His 200m timing of
Kunalan first love was actually soccer and not21.3 seconds, which was ran in the round one
running. He was first discovered by Tan Eng Yoonqualification also earned him a new Asian Games
who became his coach when he was studying at200m record.
the old Teachers' Training College. Kunalan wasKunalan best running year would probably be in
then involved in Singapore Teachers' Union soccer1969. In the 5th edition of SEAP games in
team and Tan Eng Yoon, who was the nationalRangoon, Burma, he swept the individual and relay
coach then, noticed a potential when he sawaccolades by winning 3 gold in the blue ribbon
Kunalan exhibited raw speed and quick cadenceevents of 100m, 200m and 4x400m relays. He
when he was playing soccer. Tan was able toclocked 10.5 seconds in the 100m and 21.3
persuade Kunalan to switch sports andseconds in the 200m finals. His timing in the 200m
immediately he saw results. Kunalan's maidenevent equaled his Asian Games record. The
foray in athletes back in 1963 saw him clocking4x400m relay team of Cheah Kim Teck, A
10.9 seconds for the 100m, 22.3 seconds for theSadayappan and Ho Mun Cheong finally grabbed
200m and 50.9 seconds in the 400m after onlygold (3:15.40). The only medal outside of the gold
four months of training.tally was a bronze in the 4x100m relay event.
C. Kunalan continued to break records and in thatAndrew Chee, Yeo Kian Chye and Aminuddin
same year, the fledgling sprinter was already aKassim time of 41.4 seconds could only settle for
national record holder for the men's 4x100mthird spot.
event. He was part of the team which comprisedThe soft-spoken Kunalan, by now a sprinting
of Low Sin Chock, Cedric Monteiro and Wong Feysports icon, was deservedly awarded Singapore
Wan that smashed and lowering the old mark ofSportsman of the Year in 1968 & 1969 for
to a new time of 42.0 seconds at the Malayanhis commendable performances in the SEAP,
All-Comers.Asian and Olympic games. He was just 27 years
His training ground before the Kallang nationalold and the peak of his prime, but he was
stadium was built, was the Farrer Park stadium. Itbeginning to get injured persistently, taking much
was a centralised stadium for national athletesof his time away from training and competing.
preparing for international meets such as SEAPThrough the pain and juggling work as a teacher,
Games, now known as SEA Games. Before thehe competed in his last major international meet.
National Stadium's tartan track was built, KunalanIt was the 6th Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
trained and competed on cinder tracks, which canKunalan managed to grab two bronzes in the
prove to be a sticky situation as on rainy days itmen's 100m and 200m event with a time of 10.5
turned mud-like.and 21.5 seconds respectively. The relay team
The following year after he started running, healso did well by grabbing honors with a bronze.
was already making a name for himself as aThe team comprising of Ong Yoke Phee, Tan
sprinter. Kunalan don the national colors when heSay Leong, Yeo Kian Chye and Godfrey Jalleh
was thrusted his first ever Olympic appearance.clocked 40.34 seconds.
He was running under the Malaya flag, a combinedAt the end of 1970, Kunalan retired from sprinting
federated state of East/West Malaysia andas his heel injury was persistent. That new
Singapore. His sprinting debut at the 18th Tokyochapter in his life brought him into coaching. He
Japan in 1964 saw his 4x100m relay teamwas a successful athlete and in a few short
eliminated in the first round. The team comprisingyears, he became a successful coach too. He
of Hamzah Maklan, John Dukom, and M.groomed future Singapore sprinters of the 80's
Jegathesan finished in a time of 41.4 seconds. Asuch as Muhd Hosni, Mona Kunalan, Hamkah Afik
name among the relay team members was theand Yusof Alias.
legendary Mani Jegathesan who was Kunalan'sIn 1973 SEAP Games when Singapore hosted the
training partner, although good friends, he willevent, he was invited to be the torch-bearer
prove to be his fierce rival on the track.during the opening ceremony. Canagasabai Kunalan
As Singapore found independence in 1965 andlife outside of running was primarily teaching. He
separated from Malaya. Kunalan opted to run forstarted out with just three O'levels and initially
Singapore while his training partner Manitaught in a primary school for six years before
Jegathesan chose Malaysia. That year, it was themoving to another 13 years in secondary school.
start of winning nine SEAP Games medal in theIn 1980 he joined the Institute of Education,
coming years. Kunalan took part in the 3rd editionwhere he rose through the ranks to become an
of the SEAP Games in Kuala Lumpur and he ranAssistant Professor at the National Institute of
the 4x100m men's relay team, getting silver withEducation. He is still there.
a team comprising of Osman Marican, NataharHis lectures and areas of expertise include
Bava and Wong Fey Wan, finishing in a time offunctional anatomy, exercise physiology, Track
41.5 seconds.and Field, health education and fitness and
Kunalan set his sights higher when he preparedconditioning. He is also still active in the local
for the 1966 Asian Games which was held inathletics circle and is now a Singapore Youth
Bangkok, Thailand, but he came agonizinglyOlympic Games Advisory Committee Members
second to his friend Malaysia's M. Jegathesan in aand part of the Singapore National Olympic Council
close photo finish in the men's 100 finals. He hadAnti-Doping in Sports Commission as Secretary.
to settle for silver (10.5 seconds). He left theKunalan has three daughters, Soma, Mona and
Games with another medal and that is a bronzeGina and he is married to Chong Yoong Yin, she
from the men's 4x400m event. The team ofherself was a former national sprinter. All three
Bava Natahar, Gunasena Migale and Ho Mundaughters undertook teaching profession, but only
Cheong earned a bronze when they clockedMona took up running like her father. Kunalan also
3:14.40 in the finals.has two grandchildren, Jasmine and Amber who
The next major meet was to be the 4th SEAPare in Australia.
Games in Bangkok in 1967. Once again