GEORGE TOWN: EX-OLYMPIAN Thambu Krishnan, who was one of Malaysia’s best athletes in the 1960s, was honoured by the Golfers Association of Penang Indians recently.
The Penangite was hailed for his achievements during the 20th Penang Indians Golf Tournament’s gala dinner at the Penang Golf Resort in Bertam, Kepala Batas.
Organising chairman ASP N. Govindarajan said it has been the tradition of the Golfers Association of Penang Indians to honour Indians from the state who have made Penang and the country proud.
“Krishnan has participated at the highest level of competitions, the Olympics, and is still actively contributing by producing athletes as a coach.
“We are all proud of him. As a Penang-born, he had stood on the podium at the Asian Games, which is considered as just next to the Olympics.”
Govindarajan said apart from being an elite sportsman, Krishnan was also honoured as Tokoh Guru Negeri Pulau Pinang (2004), Tokoh Guru Kebangsaan (2007) and Tokoh Sukan Negara (2009).
He has received the PPN award from the King, the PJK, PKT and the DJN from the state Governor.
The retired headmaster is still active as a coach at the National Sports Council Development Centre in Desa Damai, Bukit Mertajam.
Krishnan has produced national champions and also Sea Games medallists, including P. Yuvaraj.
Among the athletes he had coached are: Nik Hafiz, M. Sasikumar, Dinesh Kumar, Mohd Nabil, S. Deekeesegaran and Aliff Razlan.
The 70-year-old’s athletic career began when he was a trainee teacher at the Seri Kota Teachers Training College in Selangor. Prior to that, he played football for Indian Association Penang.
Krishnan first ran for the country at the 1965 Seap Games where he won the 100m silver, losing to the then “Fastest Man in Asia”, Dr M. Jegathesan (now Tan Sri), and won a gold in the 4x100m.
The following year at the 1966 Bangkok Asian Games, he won a gold in the 4x100m with Jegathesan, G. Rajalingam and Mohd Ariffin, setting a 40.60s Asian record, and three silver medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x400m.
Four years later at the Bangkok Asian Games, he took a bronze in the 4x400m but was injured during the 200m final.
At the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games together with Jegathesan, Rajalingam and Ariffin, they qualified for the 4x100m semi-finals.
After nine months of training at the University of Southern California together with Istiaq Mubarak, P. Sabapathy and Junaida Aman, Krishnan qualified for the 1972 Munich Olympic.
At the 1972 Olympics, he ran the 400m and the 4x400m relay with Hassan Osman, PLBS Peyadesa and P. Sabapathy. His personal best times in the 100m was (10.3s), 200m (21.3s) and 400m (46.7s).
Krishnan is married to V. Saroja, a former Singapore hockey player and 400m athlete. He has a son who is a state hockey player and doing his PhD at Universiti Malaya, and also a daughter.