SEA Games: Former Malaysian track queen Marina Chin back in action

Look who’s here at the SEA Games: They were the sporting heroines of their time: Lim Heem Wei, the gymnast who somersaulted onto the Olympic stage; Khoo Cai Lin, the swimmer who held off spine surgery to compete for her country; and Marina Chin, the graceful hurdler who lit up the National Stadium in 1977 with her double-gold feat. Once the poster girls for their sports, the trio are now behind the scenes at this 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, lending a whiff of stardust to the over 9,000-strong pool of volunteers and officials working round the clock to make the Games a success.

KUALA LUMPUR  — As she sat in the VIP section of the Bukit Jalil National Stadium last Sunday (Aug 20) watching home favourite Khairul Hafiz Jantan claim gold in the men’s blue riband event, Marina Chin had to fight the urge to get back out on the track.

For it was over 40 years ago that Malaysia’s track queen blazed a trail for her country with her hurdling prowess, winning seven gold medals at the SEA Games before hanging up her spikes.

Once a poster girl of Malaysian track and field, Chin has taken on an even bigger role in her country’s first home Games in 16 years. The 61-year-old is heading the 844-strong contingent at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games as its chef-de-mission, leading the charge for Team Malaysia as the athletes make their bid to win a record 111 gold medals.

Chin laughed as she spoke to TODAY about her experience as a track and field spectator. She said: “Watching the men’s 100m, I really wished I was young enough to run in the SEA Games again! It’s been so exciting.

“I used to get a lot of support from the crowd, from fans, and everywhere I went, people recognised me on the street.

“Even now, they’ve not forgotten me. I’m really honoured that after so many years people still remember who I am.”

The former beauty queen – who also competed alongside Singapore’s hurdles star Heather Marican – is fondly remembered by Malaysians for her feats at the 1977 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, where she won the coveted double-gold in the 100m and 200m hurdles. Heavily tipped for the treble in the 400m hurdles, she hit a hurdle in the final race, but got back up and finished with silver. Her compatriot Jessica Lau won the gold.

It remains an unforgettable moment for Chin, and her fans, as she said: “Even now, people still remember me falling! I remember the Malaysian television channels showing that fall over and over, and I felt bad for my teammate because all the focus was on my fall!”

Since she was appointed chef-de-mission in October 2015, Chin has been busy working behind the scenes to ensure the contingent are in tip-top shape for the Games. The work, and hours, have intensified with the start of the Games on Aug 19. In fact, when TODAY caught up with Chin over a phone interview earlier this week, she was dealing with a food poisoning incident at their team hotel which had hit 16 of their athletes, with one warded in hospital for medical checks.

While the Malaysian hurdles queen is no longer reaping gold medals for her country on the track, the mother of two – who is married to former national rugby player Jagjit Singh – is happy to be helping a younger generation of Malaysian athletes win glory for her country.

She said: “I felt really honoured when they asked me to be the CDM. At this age when I’m retired I should be resting, but I’m happy to be part of this Games.

“My basic message to the athletes is that they should stay focused and they have to make sacrifices for their sport.

“As long as they give their best, even if they don’t win medals, I will be very happy.”