Rosalind Singha Ang – Legenda Badminton Malaysia

Rosalind Singha Ang dilahirkan di Thailand pada tahun 1941 sebelum keluarga beliau berhijrah ke Pulau Pinang ketika beliau berumur enam tahun. Rosalind kemudian berpindah ke Kedah, di mana beliau muncul sebagai seorang bintang dalam sukan badminton. 

Rosalind memenangi Kejohanan Terbuka Malaysia untuk kali pertama pada 1964 bersama pasangan beregu Teoh Siew Yong. Mereka menewaskan Sylvia Tan & Ho Cheng Yoke (15-13, 15-12) dalam perlawanan akhir untuk menjuarai acara beregu wanita. 

Pada tahun 1965, pasangan beregu dari Kedah ini mengulangi kemenangan mereka setelah menewaskan Chong Yoon Choo & Phuah Kooi Ean (15-1, 15-5). Rosalind dan Siew Yong kemudian bertarung dalam perlawanan akhir perseorangan wanita. Rosalind akhirnya menewaskan rakan beliau (11-5, 10-12, 11-8) untuk menjuarai acara tersebut untuk kali pertama. Bersama Eddy Choong, Rosalind tewas pada perlawanan akhir beregu campuran kepada gandingan Teh Kew San & Ng Mei Ling (10-15, 7-15). 

Rosalind bermain dalam kejohanan antarabangsa pertama beliau pada tahun 1965. Beliau, bersama Siew Yong, meraih pingat perak di Kejohanan Memorial Nehru yang berlangsung di Lucknow. Beliau diberi peluang oleh Presiden Persatuan Badminton Kedah, Dr. Sundarajan, yang menyertai mereka sebagai pasukan bebas. 

Tidak lama kemudian, Rosalind dipilih untuk menyertai pasukan kebangsaan, mengiktirafkan bakat beliau. Beliau membuat penampilan pertama di Sukan SEAP KL 1965 dan memenangi dua pingat emas (acara perseorangan & beregu wanita) serta satu pingat perak (acara beregu campuran). 

Pencapaian beliau di Sukan SEAP/SEA dari 1967-77 adalah seperti berikut: 

Sukan SEAP Bangkok 1967:
Emas – Beregu Wanita / Perak – Perseorangan Wanita

Sukan SEAP Rangoon 1969:
Emas – Beregu Wanita & Beregu Campuran

Sukan SEA KL 1971:
Emas – Perseorangan Wanita / Perak – Beregu Wanita & Beregu Campuran

Sukan SEA Singapura 1973:
Emas – Beregu Wanita / Perak – Perseorangan Wanita

Sukan SEA Bangkok 1975:
Emas – Beregu Wanita & Beregu Campuran

Sukan SEA KL 1977:
Perak – Beregu Wanita

Rosalind mewakili Malaysia di Sukan Asia sebanyak dua kali, pada 1966 dan 1970. Kedua-dua edisi berlangsung di Bangkok, Thailand. Pada edisi 1966, Rosalind memenangi pingat emas dalam acara beregu campuran bersama Teh Kew San, menewaskan pasangan Malaysia, Tan Gaik Bee dan Eddy Choong (18-13, 11-15, 15-5). Pada 1970, beliau memenangi pingat gangsa dalam acara beregu wanita bersama Teoh Siew Yong. 

Rosalind mencapai tahap permainan yang  lebih tinggi apabila dapat beraksi di Sukan Komanwel untuk tiga kali berturut-turut. Beliau memenangi pingat gangsa dalam acara beregu wanita bersama Teoh Siew Yong pada 1966 di Kingston dan 1970 di Edinburgh, serta bersama Sylvia Ng pada 1974 di Christchurch. 

Rosalind dipilih untuk jelajah antarabangsa pada tahun 1971. Selain daripada Kejohanan Seluruh England, beliau bersama rombongan pasukan Malaysia mengambil bahagian dalam Kejohanan Terbuka Kanada, Kejohanan Terbuka Amerika Syarikat, dan Kejohanan Terbuka Hong Kong sebelum pulang ke tanah air. 

Pada tahun 1967 dan 1969, Rosalind dianggap sebagai pemain badminton wanita terbaik dan beliau dicalonkan untuk Olahragawati Kebangsaan. Walaupun Rosalind tidak pernah mendapat gelaran yang diidamkan, segala pencapaian beliau membuktikan bahawa beliau seorang wira dalam dunia badminton. Selepas beliau bersara, Rosalind bermula kerjaya sebagai jurulatih pasukan badminton wanita Malaysia dan terus menabur jasa dan bakti kepada generasi yang seterusnya. 

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Rosalind Singha Ang was born in Thailand in 1941 before her family moved to Penang when she was six. Rosalind then moved to Kedah, where she quickly emerged as a star in the badminton scene.

Rosalind won her first Malaysian Open title in 1964, where she and her will-be longtime doubles partner Teoh Siew Yong won in Women’s Doubles after defeating Sylvia Tan & Ho Cheng Yoke (15-13, 15-12).

In 1965, the pair from Kedah repeated their victory, defeating Chong Yoon Choo & Phuah Kooi Ean (15-1, 15-5). Rosalind and Siew Yong then went up against each other to fight in the Women’s Singles final. Rosalind defeated her doubles partner (11-5, 10-12, 11-8), to win her first Singles title. Partnered with Eddy Choong, Rosalind lost in the final round against Teh Kew San & Ng Mei Ling (15-10, 15-7). 

Rosalind made her first international appearances in 1965. She played at the Nehru Memorial Championships in Lucknow with her doubles partner, Siew Yong, where they claimed the silver medal. She was given the opportunity by Dr Sundarajan, President of the Kedah Badminton Association, who entered them as an independent team.

With her talent recognized, Rosalind was soon approached to join the national team. She participated at the 1965 KL SEAP Games, winning two gold medals (Women’s Singles & Doubles) and one silver (Mixed Doubles). 

Her accomplishments at the SEAP/SEA Games from 1967-77 are as follows:

1967 Bangkok SEAP Games:
Gold in Women’s Doubles / Silver in Women’s Singles

1969 Rangoon SEAP Games:
Gold in Women’s Doubles & Mixed Doubles

1971 KL SEA Games:
Gold in Women’s Singles / Silver in Women’s Doubles & Mixed Doubles

1973 Singapore SEA Games:
Gold in Women’s Doubles / Silver in Women’s Singles

1975 Bangkok SEA Games:
Gold in Women’s Doubles & Mixed Doubles

1977 KL SEA Games:
Silver in Women’s Doubles

Rosalind represented Malaysia at the Asian Games twice, in 1966 and 1970, both held in Bangkok. At the 1966 edition, Rosalind won the gold medal in mixed doubles with Teh Kew San, defeating Malaysian pair Tan Gaik Bee and Eddy Choong (18-13, 11-15, 15-5). In 1970, she won the bronze in Women’s Doubles, partnered with Teoh Siew Yong. 

A worthier feat is her three consecutive appearances at the Commonwealth Games, where she won a bronze medal in women’s doubles with Teoh Siew Yong in 1966 (Kingston) and 1970 (Edinburgh), as well as with Sylvia Ng in 1974 (Christchurch).

Rosalind had an eventful international tour in 1971, where she was selected to represent Malaysia at the All-England Championships. After the tournament, the Malaysian team took part in the Canadian Open, the American Open and the Hong Kong Open before returning home.

In 1967 and 1969, Rosalind was considered the best player in women’s badminton and was nominated for Sportswoman of the Year. Although she never won the coveted title, her countless achievements prove that she was a champion in badminton and one of the best players Malaysia has ever seen. After retiring, she became coach of the Malaysian women’s badminton team, imparting her wisdom to the next generation.