C. Kunalan
 Kunalan at a Singapore Olympic Academy Youth Session, 2008. | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Canagasabai Kunalan |
| Nationality | Singapore |
| Born | 23 October 1942 Singapore |
| Years active | 1963–1979 |
| Sport | |
| Country |
|
| Sport | Athletics |
| Events | |
| Coached by | Tan Eng Yoon Yap Boon Chuan |
| Retired | 1979 |
Canagasabai Kunalan (born 23 October 1942), known as C. Kunalan,[1] is a retired Singaporean sprinter, relay runner, former footballer and educator, widely regarded as one of Singapore's greatest ever athletes.[2][3] Named Sportsman of the Year in both 1968 and 1969,[4] his feat of 10.38 seconds in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games 100 metres was a national record that stood for 33 years.[5][6][7]
Career[edit]
Runner[edit]
Kunalan first came into running in 1963, at the age of 20. Formerly a football player, Kunalan switched to running when his PE teacher commended him for his fast-moving legs after noticing him running while chasing the ball.[8] He participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics as part of the Malaysian 4 × 100 m relay team with Malaysian sprint legend Mani Jegathesan, and subsequently represented Singapore after it left the federation.
Kunalan has participated in two Olympic Games (Tokyo, 1964 and Mexico City, 1968)[9] and has earned five Asian Games and fifteen Southeast Asian Peninsular Games medals.[10]
He had to retire in 1979 due to a heel injury.
Educator[edit]
C Kunalan taught six years in Tiong Bahru Primary School and thirteen years in Dunearn Secondary Technical School before joining the National Institute of Education in 1980.[1][11] Kunalan became an assistant professor there.[12] He specialized in functional anatomy and exercise physiology, and conducted practical classes in fitness and conditioning. Kunalan left the institute in 2010.[13]
He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2015 as part of the National Day Awards.[10]
Singapore Athletic Association[edit]
He also serves as Vice Principal (Training and Selection) with the Singapore Athletic Association.[14][15]
SYOGOC[edit]
Kunalan was one of the 23 members of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC).[16]
Personal life[edit]
Kunalan is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [17]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "A Tribute to The Fastest Man in 100m for 33 years". Dunearn Tech. Archived from the original on 25 August 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ "31 years of sporting heroes". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ "Singapore's 50 greatest athletes". Get For Me. Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ "Hall of Fame: C Kunalan". SSC Sports Museum. Archived from the original on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- ^ Ministry of Education Singapore. Love Matters: An Anthology of Poems and Short Stories. Singapore City: Armour Publishing.
- ^ "Canagasabai Kunalan". Singapore Olympics. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- ^ Peter H. L. Lim (2009). Chronicle of Singapore, 1959-2009: Fifty Years of Headline News. Singapore City: Editions Didier Millet.
- ^ Wong, Ashika (27 July 2012). "Local hero: C Kunalan, 72, retired athlete". Time Out Singapore. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- ^ "CANAGASABAI KUNALAN". Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ a b "Another medal for track star and teacher Kunalan". The Straits Times. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ "Mr. C. Kunalan". Woodlands Secondary School. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ "Service". National Institute of Education. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- ^ Wong, Alicia (12 September 2011). "If I can do it, you can do even better". Yahoo News. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ "C Kunalan: Track Legend, Father of Three". Dads For Life. Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ "SAA Annual General Meeting 2012". Singapore Athletics Association. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ "Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) board members". Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2008.
- ^ Deseret News 1999-2000 Church Almanac. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret News. 1998. p. 555. ISBN 1573454915.
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
- Canagasabai Kunalan at World Athletics
- Canagasabai Kunalan at Olympics.com
- Canagasabai Kunalan at Olympedia
- Canagasabai Kunalan at the Singapore National Olympic Council
- Canagasabai Kunalan at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Canagasabai Kunalan at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
- 1942 births
- Living people
- Singaporean male sprinters
- Olympic athletes for Singapore
- Olympic athletes for Malaysia
- Singaporean people of Tamil descent
- Singaporean people of Indian descent
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics
- Commonwealth Games competitors for Singapore
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games
- People from Singapore
- Asian Games medalists in athletics (track and field)
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1966 Asian Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 Asian Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 Asian Games
- Asian Games silver medalists for Singapore
- Asian Games bronze medalists for Singapore
- SEA Games medalists in athletics
- SEA Games silver medalists for Singapore
- SEA Games bronze medalists for Singapore
- Recipients of the Pingat Jasa Gemilang
- Medalists at the 1966 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 1970 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 1974 Asian Games
- Competitors at the 1977 SEA Games
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members