Kuhan Shanmuganathan (S. Kuhan) - Hockey

Kuhan Shanmuganathan (born 23 July 1976) is a retired field hockey player from Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Kuhan is known as one of the penalty corner specialist.

Career

Club

Kuhan made his debut in the Malaysia Hockey League for Yayasan Negeri Sembilan in 1992. He won two league titles in 1995 and 1996. After his stint in Negeri Sembilan, Kuhan joined Petaling Jaya City Council in 1997 and won a league title. In the same year he went on three-month stints with clubs in Germany. He played for Limburg HC. Two years later, he featured for Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) and won another league title.

In 2000, he played for Sapura and stayed there for 12 years. It proved to be a fruitful union as Sapura went on to win four titles. They were double champions in 2005 and clinched the league title in 2004 and overall Cup in 2006. In 2005, Kuhan joined Bangalore Hi-Fliers that play in India Hockey Premier League.

Kuhan also emerged the Malaysia Hockey League’s top scorer three times in 1997, 1999 and 2003. He currently served as team manager of Sapura.

International

Kuhan won 341 caps for Malaysia. He has played in competitive competitions such as the World Cup, Olympics, Champions Challenge, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Asia Cup.

He also the Malaysia hockey team skipper for six years since taking over from Mirnawan Nawawi in 2000. Kuhan announce his retirement after Malaysian Hockey Federation's decision to drop him from the national training squad in early 2007. He return from his retirement in 2007 Southeast Asian Games. It is his last appearances for the Malaysia hockey team.

Shanti Govindasamy (G. Shanthi) - Athletics

Shanti Govindasamy (born 19 September 1967) is a female sprint athlete who competed for Malaysia at the Asian Games, primarily in the 100 and 200 metre events.

She liked the idea of team spirit, which explains why she favoured hockey over athletics in her early school years, even though her brother was national sprinter G. Sivalingam.

She excelled in hockey and was selected to represent Perak in 1984. Within two years, she was good enough to make the national team to the Asian Games.

Although the national team finished fourth, her on-field play caught the attention of athletics coach Ishtiaq Mubarak. Shanti’s running technique, it was decided, would be perfect for sprints.

While working in a local bank, Shanti decided to give sprints a shot by participating in an Inter-Bank meet. Her courtship with sprints moved one notch higher when she was selected to represent Selangor in 1987.

A believer in the adage, No Pain No Gain, Shanti pushed herself on a ritual of pumping iron, explosive drills, hard running practices and endurance training.

Shanti’s first exposure to international competition came in 1989 at the KL SEA Games. She managed to win only one Silver medal in the 4X100m relay. She also failed to make a mark at the Beijing Asian Games.

After a series of disasters and false starts, Shanti, at the age of 30, made stunning return at the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games by winning the 100m Gold, ending a 16-year dry spell for Malaysian women.

She also won the Gold in the 200m event.Her victories in Jakarta made her the fastest woman in South-East Asia and it was a fitting tribute that she was honoured as Sportswoman of the Year in 1998.

The best part was, she came back in 1997 after giving birth to her 1st child and became super mum on the track.

G. Shanti lived by her personal motto : Never give up on your dreams.

Datuk R. Arumugam - Soccer

Datuk R. Arumugam (also known as Spiderman) was a legendary Malaysian national football player from Selangor. His long arms and difficult saves earned him the nickname "Spiderman". He was born on 31 January 1953 in Port Klang, Selangor. He started his football career at a young age.

He made his debut for Selangor FA when he was 18 years old in the Burnley Cup Youth Tournament in 1971. He representedSelangor FA in the Malaysia Cup tournament from 1972 to 1988, a period during which Selangor FA won the Malaysia Cup eight times.

R. Arumugam was called up to the Malaysia national football team in 1973 for the World Cup qualifying round matches in Seoul, South Korea. During his time with the national team, Malaysia won the Merdeka Tournament in 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979 and 1986. He also represented Malaysia in the 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983 and 1985 Sea Games. He won a bronze medal with the national team during the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran. Malaysia also qualified for the 1980 Moscow Olympics Games, but Malaysiadecided to boycott the Games. R. Arumugam recorded 196 caps (not all A class international matches) during his time with the Malaysia national team. His personal goal was to earn 200 caps. He retired in 1986.

In 1983, he formed his own club, Starbrite SC, as part of his personal contribution to the youngsters in his housing area

R. Arumugam died in a car accident at Federal Highway near Petaling Jaya on 18 December 1988. He was survived by wife, Maria Selvie, and two daughters, Subha Arumugam and Rubha Arumugam.

In recognition of his services to both state and nation, the Football Association of Selangor and Public Bank, where Arumugam had been employed, started a trust fund in his name on 5 January 1989. On 4 June 2011, Yang Dipertuan Agong posthumously awarded him the Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN), which carries the title "Datuk".

The 2016 film "Ola Bola" is about the 1980 Olympic qualifiers and was inspired by R. Arumugam.

Datuk Punch Gunalan - Badminton

Datuk Punch Gunalan (4 February 1944 – 15 August 2012) was a Malaysian badminton star who is considered to have been one of the finest combination doubles and singles players that the country has ever produced. He was born in Sepang, Selangor.

Gunalan was a talented right-hander who spent what might have been some of the best years of his playing career competing only sporadically as a student in England. Gunalan did not represent Malaysia in Thomas Cup (the men's world team championship) until the 1970 series in Kuala Lumpur at the comparatively late "rookie" age of 26. Here Malaysia relinquished its title to Indonesia in the final, 2--7, with Gunalan and Ng Boon Bee in doubles gaining one of the two points. In 1971 Gunalan and Boon Bee were the leading men's doubles team in the world, winning the prestigious All England title, as well as the Danish, Canadian and US Open titles.

Though perhaps less consistent in singles than he was in doubles, Gunalan was capable of playing it at the highest level. He reached the All-England singles final in 1974, losing in three close games to the iconic Rudy Hartono. He won singles at the quadrennial Asian Games in 1970 and at the quadrennial Commonwealth Games in 1974.

After retiring as a player in 1974 Gunalan served in various stints as coach of the Malaysian team, an official in the Malaysian Badminton Association and as an official in the International Badminton Federation (now Badminton World Federation).

Gunalan died on 15 August 2012 after suffering from a critical illness. He was 68.

Tan Sri Dr. Jegathesan Manikavasagam - Athletics (Sprint)

Tan Sri Dr. Jegathesan Manikavasagam (born 2 November 1943), fondly called the Flying Doctor for blazing the tracks around Asia despite being firstly a medical student then a doctor, was an icon in the 1960s, regarded as the "Golden Era" of Malaysian athletics. In his hey day, he was regarded as the fastest man in Asia. in his medical career he served the government health service for 32 years including the posts of Director of the Institute for medical research and the Deputy director General of the ministry of health, Malaysia

He is a doctor and researcher and was appointed as Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Medical Commission and honorary Medical Advisor for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. He is also the chairman of the Medical committee and anti doping commission of the Olympic council of Asia.

He has also served as the Deputy President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).

In 1966, he earned the accolade of being the fastest man in Asia by winning three gold medals at the Bangkok Asian Games in the 100 m, 200 m and 4 × 100 m Men's Relay events.

At the Kingston Commonwealth Games in 1966, Dr Jega became the first Malaysian to qualify for the final of the 220-yard (now the 200 m) race.

Forty years later, Dr Jegathesan not only became an accomplished athlete, doctor and researcher but did the country proud yet again through his appointment as Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Medical Commission and honorary Medical Advisor for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

In an interview with the New Straits Times, Dr Jega said it was indeed a great honour, both for himself and the country, to be appointed to such a high-profile position.

"But in whatever capacity, being part of the Commonwealth Games in itself keeps the adrenaline pumping as it brings back fond memories," he said.

Dr Jega has competed in three consecutive Olympic Games, namely Rome (1960), Tokyo (1964) and Mexico (1968).

Dr Jegathesan also has the distinction of appearing in two 200 m semi-finals in the Olympics and his time of 20.92 s, set in 1968 at the Mexico Olympics, still remains intact in the Malaysian athletics records book.

His 200 m record is probably the oldest in the records books but as much as he would love to see his record remain intact, he hopes Malaysian athletes would strive harder to not only smash his record but also reinstate the country's status as a leading power in athletics, just like in the 1960s.

"It is my sincere hope to see Malaysia emerge as an athletics powerhouse in the region and appear in the final of a major event like the Asian, Commonwealth or Olympic Games," he said.

Nauraj Singh Randhawa - Athletics High Jump

Nauraj Singh Randhawa (born 27 January 1992) is a Malaysian athlete, specialist in high jump. He won the gold medal in Southeast Asian Games 2013 and 2015. In 2016, he carries his personal best to 2.29 m in Kallang, Singapore. With this record he became the first track and field athlete to reach the Olympics without a wild card since the 2008 Beijing Olympics when Lee Hup Wei, Roslinda Samsu and Yuan Yufang qualified on merit.