Malaysia menyapu bersih pingat emas badminton di Sukan SEAP Rangoon 1969

55 tahun lalu pada hari ini menandakan penutupan tirai Sukan SEAP 1969.

Malaysia menduduki tempat keempat secara keseluruhan dalam edisi ke-5 temasya itu setelah mengumpul 16 pingat emas, 24 perak dan 39 gangsa.

Kontingen Malaysia berjaya memperoleh pencapaian yang memberangsangkan dalam pelbagai acara sepanjang kejohanan. Bagi sukan olahraga, di mana mereka meraih tujuh pingat emas, Malaysia telah memecahkan rekod temasya dalam acara 4x100m lari berganti-ganti lelaki selepas mencatat masa 41.1s. Pendahuluan awal daripada Zainuddin Wahab dikekalkan dengan pertukaran baton yang lincah oleh T. Krishnan, G. Rajalingam dan Annuar Abdul Wahid.

Dalam acara individu, Malaysia memenangi pingat emas dalam acara 110m lari berpagar (Ishtiaq Mubarak), 400m lari berpagar (Zambrose Abdul Rahman), 3000m lari berhalangan (Dilbagh Singh Kier) dan 50km lumba jalan kaki (K. Thirumal). Sementara itu, Nashatar Singh Sidhu menjadi pemenang dalam dua acara, lontar peluru dan rejam lembing.

Namun, Malaysia tentunya mempamerkan kehebatan dan dominasi dalam sukan badminton. Para atlet badminton negara telah melakar sejarah dengan bukan sahaja layak ke pusingan akhir kesemua lima acara tetapi juga muncul sebagai juara.

Malaysia membawa pulang kesemua lima pingat emas menerusi Punch Gunalan (perseorangan lelaki), Sylvia Ng (perseorangan wanita), Punch Gunalan & Yew Cheng Hoe (beregu lelaki), Rosalind Singha Ang & Teoh Siew Yong (beregu wanita), dan Ng Boon Bee & Rosalind Singha Ang (beregu campuran).

Pasukan bola keranjang kebangsaan Malaysia juga berjaya menjadi johan sebelum pingat-pingat emas terakhir dibawa pulang dalam acara sukan ping pong. Soong Poh Wah merangkul kejuaraan perseorangan lelaki, manakala dua lagi pingat emas dimenangi dalam acara beregu campuran dan berpasukan wanita.

Semoga segala kejayaan legenda sukan tanah air terus menjadi inspirasi bagi generasi muda dan yang akan datang.

Foto-foto dipetik daripada program kejohanan Sukan SEAP 1969 kini berada dalam #ArkibLegasiLagenda.

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Malaysia’s badminton gold clean sweep at the 1969 Rangoon SEAP Games

55 years ago on this day marked the closing ceremony of the 1969 SEAP Games.

Malaysia placed 4th overall in the fifth edition of the Games after an accumulation of 16 gold, 24 silver and 39 bronze medals.

The nation garnered many notable achievements throughout the tournament of games. In athletics, where they clinched seven gold medals, Malaysia broke the Games record in Men’s 4x100m relay after clocking 41.1s. Zainuddin Wahab’s early lead was maintained throughout the baton changes by R. Krishna, G. Rajalingam and Annuar Abdul Wahid.

For individual athletic events, Malaysia won gold in 110m hurdles (Ishtiaq Mubarak), 400m hurdles (Zambrose Abdul Rahman), 3000m steeplechase (Dilbagh Singh Kier) and 50km road walk (K. Thirumal). Meanwhile, Nashatar Singh Sidhu became the winner in two events, shot put and javelin throw.

However, Malaysia truly showed their dominance in badminton and made history by not only being represented in the final rounds of all five events but to win them all as well.

Malaysia took home all five medals through Punch Gunalan (men’s singles), Sylvia Ng (women’s singles), Punch Gunalan & Yew Cheng Hoe (men’s doubles), Rosalind Singha Ang & Teoh Siew Yong (women’s doubles), Ng Boon Bee & Rosalind Singha Ang (mixed doubles).

The rest of the gold was secured by the Malaysian national basketball team and through table tennis. Soong Poh Wah clinched the men’s singles title, while two more were won in the mixed doubles and women’s team events.

We hope that the success stories of our national sports legends continue to be an inspiration for the younger and future generations.

Photos used were taken from the 1969 SEAP Games tournament programme, now in Legasi Lagenda’s archive.