Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! – M. Kumaresan – Legenda Lumba Basikal

Lahir pada tahun 1967 di Batu Pahat, Johor, M. Kumaresan memulakan perjalanan sukan lumba basikal atas dorongon temannya Edwin Tan yang turut memberi tunjuk ajar. Berasal dari keluarga yang berpendapatan rendah, Kumaresan pada awalanya teragak-agak untuk melayan minat kerana kurang mampu untuk membeli basikal sendiri. Namun begitu, degan semangat yang semakin membara dalam sukan tersebut, beliau akhirnya dapat mengumpul wang. Hasil daripada bekerja selepas waktu sekolah cukup untuk membeli sebuah basikal.

Kumaresan mula berlatih dengan basikal barunya sejauh 20 batu di merata tempat di Johor dalam waktu lapangnya. Bakatnya menarik perhatian jurulatih tempatan, Salleh Arif dan Kamal Ahmad, Pengurusi Pembangunan Kebajikan Persatuan Lumba Basikal Johor. Setelah bakatnya diasah, Kumaresan bersiap sedia untuk perlumbaan pertamanya, Kejohanan Lumba Basikal Lebuhraya Kajang 1984, yang dimenanginya. Sejurus itu beliau terpilih untuk berlumba di Kejohanan Dunia Remaja di Perancis.

Ini hanya kejayaan permulaan bagi Kumaresan. Seterusnya beliau berlumba di dalam beberapa edisi Sukan SEA, memenangi sejumlah 19 pingat, 9 merupakan pingat emas. Pada tahun 1987, beliau memenangi pingat perak dalam acara 30km perlumbaan mata di Kejohanan Asia dan kemudian menggondol pingat emas dalam acara yang sama di Sukan SEA. Kumaresan memenangi tiga pingat emas, dua perak dan satu gangsa di Sukan SEA Jakarta 1987. Dengan kejayaan luar biasanya, beliau dinobatkan sebagai Olahragawan Kebangsaan 1987.

Kumaresan dianggap sebagai salah seorang atlet terbaik di Sukan SEA KL 1989 setelah memenangi tiga pingat emas dalam acara kejar-mengejar individu, lebuhraya individu dan lebuhraya berpasukan. Dalam acara kejar-mengejar individu, beliau muncul sebagai pelumba Asia Tenggara pertama yang berjaya mencatat masa bawah lima minit dengan kepantasan 4:47.28.

Di Sukan SEA Manila 1991 Kumaresan mengalami kecederaan di bahagian pinggul dalam acara perlumbaan mata 30km setelah berlaku pelanggaran dengan beberapa pelumba lain. Namun begitu, beliau merasakan masih boleh berlumba lagi dalam perlumbaan yang dijalankan semula. Ketabahan dan semangat juang yang tinggi membolehkan beliau memenangi pingat emas dengan 43 mata.

Bakat dan keazaman yang tinggi yang ada pada diri Kumaresan membawa beliau ke pentas Olimpik. Beliau mewakili negara di Sukan Olimpik pada tahun 1988 dan 1992. Beliau muncul sebagai pelumba Malaysia pertama yang dapat bertanding di peringkat akhir dalam acara perlumbaan mata di Sukan Olimpik Barcelona 1992 dengan menduduki tangga ke-21.

Kumaresan bersara pada tahun 1998 setelah Sukan Komanwel sewaktu berusia 31 tahun. Beliau dimasyhurkan ke dalam ‘Halls of Fame’ oleh Majlis Olimpik Malaysia dan SportExcel. Zaman kegemilangan beliau di Sukan SEA tidak dilupai di mana beliau dipilih sebagai salah seorang timbalan ‘Chef De Mission’ untuk Sukan SEA KL 2017. Ia merupakan satu penghormatan yang beliau sangat hargai. Tabik hormat kepada sang legenda, M. Kumaresan. Semoga kejayaan beliau membakar semangat generasi yang akan datang.

(Kredit foto asal: Dunia Sukan)

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Born in 1967, M. Kumaresan started his cycling journey after encouragement from his friend Edwin Tan, who also showed him the ropes along the way. Coming from a low-income family, Kumaresan was hesitant at first as he had no means to buy his own bicycle. Nevertheless, his passion for the sport grew strong and he eventually saved up enough money to buy a bicycle from working after school hours.

With his new bicycle, Kumaresan began training up to 0 miles all over Johor in his spare time. His talent caught the attention of local coach Salleh Arif as well as Chairman of the Johor Cycling Association’s Welfare Development, Kamal Ahmad. After honing on his talent, Kumaresan was ready for his first competition – the 1984 Kajang Highway Cycling Championships – which he won and was then selected to compete in the Junior World Championship in France.

It was only the beginning of M. Kumaresan’s success. He went on to race in numerous editions of the SEA Games, winning 19 medals in total, 9 of them gold. In 1987, he won silver for the 30km point race at the Asian Championships, only to come out stronger by winning gold for the same race later at the SEA Games. He won a total of three gold medals, two silvers, and a bronze at the 1987 Jakarta SEA Games – and then named 1987 Sportsman of the Year.

He was considered a strong contender for most outstanding athlete at the 1989 KL SEA Games; winning three gold medals in Individual Pursuit, Individual Road Race and Team Road Race. In the Individual Pursuit race, he became the first South East Asian cyclist to set a record of under five minutes with a time of 4:47.28.

At the 1991 Manila SEA Games, Kumaresan injured his right hip during the 30km point race after he and a few other players crashed into each other. Fortunately, he felt well enough and persevered to race again after they were granted a do-over. He emerged victorious winning gold with 43 points.

Kumaresan’s talent and determination have also landed him on the Olympic stage, representing Malaysia in 1988 and 1992. He was the first Malaysian to qualify for the final round of the Men’s Point Race at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and finished at 21^st.

Kumaresan retired in 1998 after the Commonwealth Games, stating that he felt ready at 31 years old. He has been inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia and SportExcel Halls of Fame. His glory days at the SEA Games are not forgotten either as he was named one of the deputy chef de missions for the 2017 KL SEA Games, which he very much appreciated. 

(Original photo credit: Dunia Sukan)