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Gan’s gift for the Singapore Sports Museum

SINGAPORE — It is a fact often repeated that Singapore’s men’s water polo team have won every edition of the South-east Asian (SEA) Games since its inception in 1961.

SINGAPORE — It is a fact often repeated that Singapore’s men’s water polo team have won every edition of the South-east Asian (SEA) Games since its inception in 1961.

But there was a time back in the 1950s and 1960s that Singapore was among the top teams in Asia for water polo — winning the Asian Games gold in 1954, silver in 1958, and bronze in 1962 and 1966 — and competed at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.

Now, John Gan Eng Guan — a member of the glorious era and one of the four Gan brothers in the team back then — wants to donate all of his prizes to Sport Singapore for display at the Singapore Sports Museum.

Gan, who played from 1952 to 1973, wants to give up his hoard, which includes four Asian Games medals, four from the SEA Games and a commemorative medal from the 1956 Olympics, which he attended as a reserve player.

Speaking to TODAY at his Clementi apartment, which has a cabinet bursting with medals, certificates, pins and club trophies, the 76-year-old hopes the achievements of the pioneering players will inspire the future generations.

The former wing-attacker, known for his fast and aggressive play at that time, has kept files of newspaper reports, most which have yellowed with age.

“I look at them from time to time, and also welcome friends into my home for a history lesson on Singapore water polo,” he said.

“But I think it is time to part with my prizes after so many years. I am old, and I want them to be looked after properly and kept safely when I am no longer around.

“I don’t feel a sense of loss, instead I’m happy to share them with younger athletes, and members of the present water polo team to show them that it is possible for us to achieve things at Asian and even international level.”

Now still active as a private swim coach, Gan recalled how his name used to spark fear in opponents.

“(Emeritus Senior Minister) Goh Chok Tong used to play water polo back in those days with one of the swimming clubs. I bumped into him two years ago while he was campaigning for the Marine Parade GRC, and he started telling everyone of my contributions to Singapore water polo,” Gan recalls being happy but “a bit shy” when that happened.

As for how the present national team is faring, Gan says it is difficult to compare with the past era, given how the game has evolved, although he is sad that the team is no longer as dominant in the region.

“I feel that our current polo boys lack that killer instinct and belief that they can go all the way. They give too much respect to their opponents,” said Gan, who believes he can still contribute in an advisory role to the national team.

“But we have come a long way in water polo and have a lot of history in the game. I hope to be given the chance to provide some input for our national team on the game.”

Fast fact:

Of the four Gan brothers that played water polo for Singapore, only Eng Guan and Eng Hong remain. Eldest brother Eng Teck and youngest Eng Joo both passed away last year.

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