Olympians in the RSC Hockey Section – Part 1

 

"Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together"

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 motto was announced by IOC President Thomas Bach to "give humanity faith in the future" and to show the need for solidarity in the tough times brought on by the pandemic.

And what a fantastic show it was in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics – the organisers, hosts, athletes, officials, performers and spectators alike!

With the world still battling Covid, Tokyo pulled it off!

Sports and sportsmanship won the battle of all battles – giving something for all the world to look forward to everyday for over 2 week from 23rd July to 8th August 2021, demonstrating the faith and hope in humanity and the resilience of the human race against the on-going pandemic.

Olympics, as we know it, is the pinnacle that all sportsmen and women strive for. A once in a lifetime experience, and for the lucky few who had the opportunity to participate in more than one Olympics, what a privilege it must have been!

These logos are not mere artwork to those who were there. These were experiences that would last a life time and marked a time when they were at the top of their game, and competed at the highest level in the world!

The RSC hockey section probably has the highest number of Olympians in our ranks - spanning from the 1950s till the 1990s (including several double Olympians... who would have been triple Olympians, if not for Malaysia’s boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics).

Some has retired gracefully, some still actively playing today, and some who now contribute to the hockey community as coaches and mentors.

These Olympians still walk amongst us and we see them at the club house having drinks, chit-chatting, in the changing room, easy-going and friendly. No one would have guessed that they used to be amongst the best-of-the-best in the sport of hockey, competing at the Olympics whilst we watch them from our television at home. 

The Olympians in the RSC Hockey Section are as follows:

1.       Wilfred Vias (1956 Melbourne Olympics)

2.       Dato Yogeswaran (1964 Tokyo Olympics, 1968 Mexico Olympics)

3.       Dato Poon Fook Loke (1976 Montreal Olympics, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics)

4.       Dato Ow Soon Kooi (1976 Montreal Olympics, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics)

5.       Mohindar Singh (1976 Montreal Olympics)

6.       Tam Chew Seng (1984 Los Angeles Olympics)

7.       Colin Sta Maria (1984 Los Angeles Olympics)

8.       Stephen Van Huizen (1984 Los Angeles Olympics)

9.       Anaantha Sambu (1992 Barcelona Olympics)

10.   Muhammad Dhaarma Raj Kanniah (1992 Barcelona Olympics)

What a privilege it is for us to now hear from them on what it felt like to be at the Olympics in the first of our 2 part article on these great sportsmen and section members.

1.       Wilfred Vias

Wilfred Vias, or Uncle Freddy as we call him, is now 93 years old, and one of the few living Olympians from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Back in those days, it was the passion and love of the sport that drove the team to raise their own funds to participate in the Olympics under the Federation of Malaya (the first time our nation participated in the Olympics).

Uncle Freddy when we last spoke in 2013

We drew 2 games and lost 1 game - against Great Britain (2-2), Kenya (1-1), and Australia (2-3) in the group stage. Subsequently, we won all 3 games in the 9^th to 12^th placing games, beating Afghanistan (8-0), USA (3-0) and Kenya (3-2) to finish 9^th in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. I am sure Uncle Freddy would have had a hand in many of the goals scored, and perhaps even putting in a few himself!

“It was a time of pride and sense of responsibility, because I was representing my country as the vice-captain of the national hockey team. It was also exciting because it was my first trip overseas! The preparation for the travel to Melbourne was fraught with a mixture of experiences, as we had to source finances to travel, accommodation etc. There were no “generous” donors then!”

“When all is said and done, my parents and team mates were my staying power that saw me through that exhilarating experience – representing my country, meeting international hockey luminaries and feeling immense pride in bringing my country to the international arena”

Uncle Freddy had again experienced the Olympic spirit in 2008 as a torch bearer of the Olympic flame as it coursed through the streets of Malaysia enroute to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Uncle Freddy, Olympic torch bearer in 2008

When speaking to Uncle Freddy’s daughter Shoba recently, she said “While observing him watch the Tokyo Olympics hockey games, I can see his face literally lit up, his eyes were so focused… and for a few minutes, the veil of dementia lifted. He also enjoyed the other sports as well – judo, athletics, archery, tennis, badminton and boxing. I really felt - Once an Olympian, Always an Olympian.”

1.       Dato R. Yogeswaran

Following the footsteps of Uncle Freddy, Dato R. Yogeswaran played in the 1964 and 1968 Olympics held in Tokyo and Mexico respectively. His favourite position were left wing and left inside due to his speed, and was an expert in hitting on the ‘wrong foot’.

1964 Combined Malaysia-Singapore Hockey Team

“I have been competitive in nature since I was young, and in some way, I can be bad loser. Because of this, I go all out when I play or compete, to be the best that I can be. It was always my aspiration to play for Malaysia in the Olympics.” he said, as he explained his desire to be the best.

“It is good to be good, better to be better, but to best to be the BEST that you can ever be”

It was in 1964 that Malaysia participated in the Tokyo Olympics for the first time as an independent nation with a combined Malaysia-Singapore team. With so many good and matured players, selection of the final 18 players were not easy. The press played a part in influencing the selection too!

“There were some very anxious times during the selection process. I made it to the list eventually, after being given a lease of life by YAM Raja Azlan Shah as he postponed the final selection until after the matches against the visiting Indian team.”

Dato R. Yogeswaran and Micheal Arulraj experiencing the local culture in Tokyo  

We eventually finished 9^th in the placing match at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, beating Canada 3-1.

In the 1968 Mexico Olympics, all athletes had to endure the challenge of competing at a high altitude of 2,300m above sea level. 

“Team preparation and training venues changed all over. For the first time in Malaysia, training and team preparation venue in Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands to acclimatise to the thin air situation which made it difficult to breathe. The team was accommodated in Brinchang a few miles higher up. This is the closest they could get to Mexico City's altitude. Something better than none.”

(Editor’s note : According to Wikipedia, Brinchang is 1,540m above sea level)

Opening Ceremony at the 1968 Mexico Olympics

Malaysia drew 3 matches (France, Kenya and Argentina) and lost the other 4 matches (Australia, Pakistan, Netherlands, Great Britain) in the group stage, ending at the bottom of the table. However, in the placing match, we beat host nation, Mexico 1-0 in extra time to secure 15^th place in competition.

Dato R. Yogeswaran also participated in the 1988 Seoul Olympics as an NSC representative , and again in 2000 Sydney Olympics as manager of the Malaysian Men’s Hockey team.

YAM Sultan Azlan Shah and Raja Nazrin with the hockey legends at a special hockey game at RSC organized by Dato R. Yogeswaran about a decade ago

1.      Dato Ow Soon Kooi

In the 1976 Montreal Olympics, where Malaysia finished in 8^th placing, Dato Ow Soon Kooi, together with Dato Poon Fook Loke and Mohindar Singh were instrumental players in the team.

Dato Ow even managed to get himself on the scoresheet with the 2^nd goal in the 69^th minute of the group match against Canada to seal the game 2-0 for Malaysia.

He later became the captain of the Malaysian hockey team (1979-1982) but would miss the opportunity to captain the Malaysian team in the 1980 Moscow Olympics due to the boycott of the event.

A young Ow Soon Kooi in 1984 (Photo Credit : NSTP)

This double Olympian, who also played for Malaysia in the 1984 LA Olympics, gave up hockey all together to concentrate on his career in the police force and later on, his own successful business.  

 Dato Poon Fook Loke

Dato Poon, who played as a centre forward in 1976 and subsequently as a midfielder in 1984, remains to be one of our Malaysian hockey icons till today and was still actively playing until his knee injury got the better of him in recent years.

Dato Poon at the 1984 LA Olympics Opening Ceremony and meeting with Edwin Moses

“Montreal 1976 was exciting, as I was already in UK to pursue my Computing Science course. Basically, Montreal was a launching pad for the team to challenge again for the semi-finals berth following our historical 4^th placing in the 1975 Hockey World Cup – that was our target! Sadly it didn’t happen. As for LA in 1984, it was another ‘big disappointment’.”

Dato Poon and Carl Lewis at the 1984 LA Olympics

At the opening ceremony, Dato Poon managed to speak with the legendary Carl Lewis “I had a with Carl Lewis at the opening ceremony in LA and his immediate response was that it will be impossible for him to NOT win the 100m race – the title of being ‘the fastest man on earth’ because he has spent 4 years just to run a 10 second race.”

Dato Poon seen here with Mohindar in their warm up session in 1976 Montreal Olympics 

  Mohindar Singh

At 22 years of age back in 1976, Mohindar played in midfield in a team formation that consists of 4 halves (for those note familiar with this term, ‘half’ in hockey refer to a ‘midfielder’). According to a newspaper article titled “A switch in-time pays off for Mahinder”, he had switched from a forward to a halfback to increase his chances of being selected because there was ‘lack of talent’ in this department, when he was playing for the state team.

Mohindar featured in Mission Montreal in 1976

“Playing in the Olympics is a sportsman’s dream, as it is a celebration of sporting ideals and highest realm of any sports industry – Elitist Badge of Honor!” said Mohindar

Casual, stylish and sporty Mohindar

As it was the first international hockey tournament to be played on artificial turf at the  Percival Molson Memorial Stadium at the McGill University, the 1976 Montreal Olympics was a totally different experience with 11 teams competing for the Gold medal. No hockey player would have guessed that New Zealand would end up to be the champions!

Chilling out at the stadium (Look closely and you might find some familiar faces in the background!)

Mohindar also had the privilege of playing against one of his idols - “During the Olympics, one player I admired and had a short conversation with, was the captain of the Indian hockey team – Sardar Ajitpal Singh. I first saw his brilliance during the 1975 Hockey World Cup in KL. During the 1976 Montreal Olympics, we played India twice, in the group match and the 7^th placing match. He was India’s greatest midfield General and held the centre half position with grace, ability to intercept efficiently and controlled the midfield intelligently with perfect positional play. Those were my observations of his hockey prowess. The short chat I had then with this distinguished and dignified personality was most memorable and inspiring to me as a midfield player too for Malaysia”.

We would like to express our gratitude and thanks to Uncle Freddy, Dato R.Yogeswaran, Dato Ow, Dato Poon and Mohindar for sharing their Olympic stories with us.

We will feature the next 5 Olympians in our next edition of Berita RSC.