This report was carried by
the New Straits Times earlier this month
Ex-national weightlifter killed in accident
By Devinder Singh
By Devinder Singh
FORMER national weightlifter Harbans Singh, who won three gold medals at the 1975 Seap Games in Bangkok, died in a road accident in Petaling Jaya
on Monday. He was 73.
Harbans was the first Malaysian to win three gold medals in
weightlifting at a multi-event sports meet which was all the more
impressive given that he was 40 at the time.
The feat was unmatched until Amirul Hamizan Ibrahim bagged three gold
medals at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.
Harbans, a retired Tenaga Nasional employee, competed in six Seap Games
from 1965 to 1975, compiling a personal tally of four gold and three
silver medals.
Besides the three gold medals in the heavyweight category in 1975,
India-born Harbans also took the overall gold in the same category on
home ground at the 1971 Kuala Lumpur Seap Games.
His first medal, a silver, came at the 1967 Games in Bangkok before
adding two more silver in 1969 in Rangoon and 1973 in Singapore.
"Harbans was the type of sportsman who did not do it for personal glory
but for the nation. There was no monetary award to speak of at that time,
the only satisfaction he derived was bringing joy to the people by
winning," said Malaysian Hockey Federation vice-president Datuk Dr S. S.
Cheema, who was in the stands when Harbans won his first Seap Games gold
medal at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in 1971.
on Monday. He was 73.
Harbans was the first Malaysian to win three gold medals in
weightlifting at a multi-event sports meet which was all the more
impressive given that he was 40 at the time.
The feat was unmatched until Amirul Hamizan Ibrahim bagged three gold
medals at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.
Harbans, a retired Tenaga Nasional employee, competed in six Seap Games
from 1965 to 1975, compiling a personal tally of four gold and three
silver medals.
Besides the three gold medals in the heavyweight category in 1975,
India-born Harbans also took the overall gold in the same category on
home ground at the 1971 Kuala Lumpur Seap Games.
His first medal, a silver, came at the 1967 Games in Bangkok before
adding two more silver in 1969 in Rangoon and 1973 in Singapore.
"Harbans was the type of sportsman who did not do it for personal glory
but for the nation. There was no monetary award to speak of at that time,
the only satisfaction he derived was bringing joy to the people by
winning," said Malaysian Hockey Federation vice-president Datuk Dr S. S.
Cheema, who was in the stands when Harbans won his first Seap Games gold
medal at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in 1971.
Harbans was for a long time a security guard at the Maba House. Perhaps we can expect Malay Mail's Ian Pereira to pay tribute to Harbans soon!
1 comment:
A few years back there was an article in the newspaper about the M'sian hockey team that participated in the 1975 World Cup and placed 4th. We at the office then recognised one of the team members. Like Harbans, he's a security guard at the office.
No wonder lah a national cyclist once decided to defer his training in Australia to look for a job.
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