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50est: Stirring Stories for the Singapore Soul

SINGAPORE — The stories of past and present Singapore athletes, and their triumphs against all odds, are now featured in a 204-page book launched by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on Friday (April 17).

SINGAPORE — The stories of past and present Singapore athletes, and their triumphs against all odds, are now featured in a 204-page book launched by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on Friday (April 17).

Titled “50est: Stirring Stories for the Singapore Soul”, the book features 50 athletes across diverse sports, and instead of focusing on sporting achievements, the book captures 50 of Singapore’s most inspiring sports stories.

While it is not for sale, 1000 copies will be distributed to libraries in primary and secondary schools, Institutes of Higher Learning, National Sports Associations, and the National Library Board. An online copy of the book is also available to the public (www.snoc.org.sg/50est).

The Sports Hub Library is giving away a complimentary copy of the book to the first 100 people to register as its members, which began yesterday (April 19).

TODAY brings you three inspiring stories from the book:

 

Ang Peng Siong

Born: 27 October 1962

Sport: Swimming

Ang Peng Siong is a familiar name in the Singapore swimming scene – his exploits in the pool are legendary, but it was not without tribulations. Ang first put Singapore on the world swimming map in 1982, when he clocked a time of 22.69secs in the men’s 50m freestyle at the US Swimming Championships to post the fastest time in the world for that event.

While Ang’s world record time has since been re-written, it has not been surpassed by any Singaporean swimmer and remains as the country’s longest-standing swimming national record.

An Asian Games gold medallist in the 100m freestyle in 1982, and also a winner of 20 gold medals at the South-east Asian (SEA) Games from 1977 to 1993, Ang counts his gold in the men’s 50m free at the 1993 SEA Games as one his high points.

Ang recounted how he endured criticism that he was too old and past his prime when he went into the 1993 SEA Games in Singapore as a 31-year-old. With many writing him off as a medallist then, Ang beat the pool of younger regional rivals then and took the men’s 50m free gold medal.

“There were critics then saying that I am too old for the sport. I had to shut those negative noise, and focus on what my task was, and that was to race the fastest,” Ang told TODAY.

“I did not want to disappoint my family and all Singaporeans who came to support. I knew that my father, mother and my wife were in the stands. Our then Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong — an avid supporter of sports — was seated in the VIP area.

“Winning on home ground was important to me and the people who believed (in me).”

Ang also faced other disappointments in his career. At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Ang just missed the cut for the 100m free final, but bounced back to win the “B” consolation final. At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, he also did not do as well as he expected, but he marched on each time.

Since retiring as a national swimmer, Ang has devoted himself to coaching.

 

Fandi Ahmad

Born: 29 May 1962

Sport: Football

The story of “Singapore’s favourite footballing son”, Fandi Ahmad, is a classic gritty, zero-to-hero tale.

Fandi’s footballing career started when his father, a then hospital attendant, bought him a pair of football boots on hire purchase. Growing up was not easy for Fandi, whose family and him lived in two rooms in Woodbridge Hospital when he was young, and Fandi sold nasi lemak to help support his family’s income.

Now, local football fans remember his sporting feats - which include scoring the winning goal for Singapore to beat Selangor 2-1 in the 1980 Malaysia Cup final, captaining the Singapore national football team in 1994 that went on to win the coveted Malaysian League and Malaysia Cup double.

Fandi’s other memorable exploits in his sporting career include two goals against Italian football giants Inter Milan in 1983, while he was playing for Dutch club, Groninge in the UEFA Cup.

“I did not set out to be an example or role model. But over the years, it is heartening to know that my story has struck a chord in the hearts of Singaporeans,” said Fandi as he recounted his past in the book.

“It is my hope that my example can inspire the young to chase their dreams like I did, knowing that they can come true with passion, hard work, devotion, and persistence.”

This is a message that the Singapore football legend has brought home. His two sons, Irfan and Ikhsan Fandi Ahmad, are pursuing their football dreams training with a Chilean Club while schooling in Santiago. Fandi is currently the head coach of Lions XII in the Malaysian Super League.

 

Canagasabai Kunalan

Born: 23 October 1942

Sport: Track and field

C Kunalan still remembers how Bahamas sprinter, Tom Robinson, approached him when he was practising his 100m starts at the Games Village track during the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Kunalan recalled how the international sporting star in that era told him he was fast, but that he had to relax when coming out of the starting blocks. Kunalan went on to time 10.38secs in the men’s 100m event in a national record timing that stood for 33 years.

“I want Singaporeans to know we can have big hearts, even if we may not always be able to hold our own against top stars in terms of performances,” said Kunalan, as he recalled his experiences in the book.

Kunalan’s sporting career, which spanned from 1966-1979, also saw him representing Singapore in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His athletics achievements include five Asian Games medals, and nine at the South-east Asian Peninsular Games .

A former assistant professor at NIE, he now volunteers in sports and continues to contribute actively in Singapore Athletics. He also gives motivational talks in schools, relating his own story of how one should not let one’s sporting goals be constrained by physical limits. Kunalan also wants people to know it is never too late to try something new. After all, he was discovered, persuaded to give up his first love — football — and pulled into the national athletics setup at the “ripe old age” of 20.

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