My Olympic Journey - Dato R. Yogeswaran

 

Family comes first, always!

Dato R.Yogeswaran at home in Petaling Jaya

The Olympic Games are the biggest multi-sports event on Earth. They come round every four years regularly. Over ten thousand participants representing their respective nations by virtue of being the best in individual and team sports gather to exhibit and show case their special talent and event for the world to see. Millions of others all over the world from different corners of the world also gather in front of their TVs to witness and welcome the new world champion and hero. The entire host nation makes ceaseless efforts to make the Games a great success better than the previous ones. The participants representing every country in the world on the other hand will vow to give out the best they can. They have also gathered wanting to cultivate mutual understanding and friendship amongst themselves. Needless to say, sports is one of the highest and best means for the promotion of the world's peace and amity. 

The Olympic Motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" ("Faster, Higher, Stronger --Together ") will at all times be minded and kept utmost. 

As for me, I have from young been competitive in nature and in some ways a bad loser and because of this not wanting to lose nature I go all out when I perform. I always wanted to represent Malaysia in the Olympics and be the best I can be.

 It is good to be good, better to be better but best to be the best that you can ever be. 

This opportunity came in the 1960 Rome Olympics in which Malaysia had qualified for hockey. I was nineteen years old and I was already in the team. The players were looking forward and got into serious training. To many of us this would have been our first Olympics and to some a first to Europe. But alas! as our luck maybe the OCM withdrew participation citing shortage of funds. This did not go well with most players and they broke their hockey sticks. Another four years was too long a wait! We the players and officials were very sad.

Now comes 1964 and Tokyo Olympics. Malaysian hockey and Singapore hockey became one. There was a big clamour for a places in the team. Many players have been waiting for this opportunity, a long wait. Selection appeared to be tricky and political. The final 18 was not easy as there were many good, matured players. The Press played a part too in influencing selection. Four from Singapore made it viz Anuwarul Hague (Goalkeeper) Kanagalingam, Douglas Nunis and Kartar Singh. They were good and deserving. Fair selection!

I too made the list but not without some unforeseen anxious encounters. 

During the rest break of the final phase of training   I went back home to Ipoh. While there took part in the Central Perak zone athletic meet and sustained a bad hamstring muscle tear. To be ready for the forthcoming trials and to expedite healing stale blood had to extracted and in my humble opinion this made the injury worse and my chances of making the Tokyo Olympics was slowly diminishing. The trials came and I could not take part. 

However, YAM Raja Azlan Shah, who was then Vice President MHF and also Chairman Selection Board called me aside and informed me that the final selection will depend on the test matches with the Indian Olympian team that will be stopping over in Malaysia enroute to Tokyo. He told me that I will probably be put to play, and if my leg can sustain the strain of the matches, and also basing on my performance, he will then relook at my situation. I was grateful for this opportunity. 

The Indians came and played in Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Seremban and Melaka. I was put to play all the four games. 

In the last match at Kubu Stadium I was tearing into the Indian defense and created a number of penalty corners, and in one of which Douglas Nunis scored the solitary goal. Malaysia had beaten India -  History was created! 

YAM Raja Azlan Shah and the team manager, Dr. Aziz Durairatnam called me up and said, "Well done, congratulations, you are on the list to Tokyo Olympics. Take care of your leg and sleep well".

Oh God! What a relief from days of anxiety. My prayers were answered. 

Welcome to 1964 Tokyo Olympics!

Our team had no coach. The Indian coach Mr Kishan Lal, former Indian Olympian, had just announced that he only agreed to come to Malaysia and coach the team in preparation for Tokyo, but would not to go to Tokyo. He was a good coach and a God-fearing person. Nothing materialistic could tempt him to change his mind. 

The team captain for the Tokyo Olympics was M. Doraisamy with K. Anandarajah as the vice. P.Alagendra was appointed as a stand-in coach.

Now comes the trip itself. 19 players joined the rest of the Malaysian contingent all beaming with lots of expectations and confidence. Prior to this, as team preparation,  a tour of India was arranged where Malaysia played 16 games and this virtually took us all over India. 

 A top Indian player and penalty corners specialist, R.S.Gentle was appointed to prepare the team for the tour. He accompanied the team on the Indian tour. It was good that he came along to India, as he was treated as a semi-god and we gained by this respect shown to him. The tour was useful, especially with regards to fact finding. 

The team manager to Tokyo was Dr. Aziz Durairatnam a passionate and no-nonsense man.

With team mates at the Tokyo hockey training ground

Taking a break during training and shopping at Tokyo.

With new found friends in Tokyo!

Having a great time with my team mates

Practice match with Spain (judging from the jerseys)

The team played a number of first class practice matches and ended up with good results in Tokyo. This gave our local fans high hopes and expectations.

However, In the tournament proper our young team played well, but not good enough to take us to the semi-finals stage. Our performance itself in the earlier stages was creditable and nothing to be shameful of.  We were facing the hockey giants of the world. I was put to play all the games. 

Here on a personal note I had the opportunity to watch Hendry Carr the 'USA poetry in motion' in the 200m, and the 'pigeon toed' Bob Hays doing the sub 10 sec 100m and our own Malaysian and Asian hero M. Jegathesan in the 200m, all of world fame, just to name a few, performing at the main stadium and also the clash between hockey giants India and Pakistan  in the finals. These were a treat!!

India beat Pakistan 1-0 in the finals to win the Gold medal in Tokyo

At that time it was said that the Tokyo was the best organised Olympics, though Tokyo had lack of lavatory facilities. This is because Japanese men always let go when the urge got to them! Though expensive motorised cabin lavatories were provided, posters were put up around the city to persuade men to use them saying 'The Olympics are coming ----don't piss in the streets!' This I thought was funny!!

The hockey team finished 9th out of total 16. Creditable! 

Now comes Mexico Olympics in 1968. It was also the year I got married to my wife June Shanta, now 53 years ago.

June and I on our wedding day

Everyone was worried that the athletes will suffer from Mexico City's high altitude and rarified air, and also the land of manana will not be ready as the Olympic Games venue in any reasonable time. But it surprised everyone and did it despite hiccups, like the Black Power Salute by athletes Peter Norman, Juan Carlos and Tommy Smith who were all sent home and the shooting of 200 odd students who protested for the spending of so much money on organizing the Olympics, which could have been spend on its people who were in dire need and in poverty. Surprisingly Mexico City was judged 'the best Games yet '.

Due to the high altitude problem, team preparation changed in most countries. For the first time in Malaysia, training and team preparation venue was 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. Our coach was Venky Naidu from India. 

The daily training program was running down about 3 miles along the jungle track from Brinchang to Tanah Rata with your training kit after a cup of coffee. Physical training and skill work from 8am to 10am with a short breakfast. Then run back the same uphill for rest and lunch and return for evening tactical work from 4.30-6.30pm as the weather changes with cold setting in. 

This went on for a month before the final team was selected. YAM Raja Azlan Shah was the Chairman of the selection committee. 18 players with me included were on the list, with Dr Aziz Durairatnam again the manager with the late Ho Koh Chye as goalkeeper and captain.

It was a long, tiring trip to Mexico. The Australian Hockey Association invited Malaysia to play a series of matches against them enroute to Mexico which MHF readily accepted as we were lacking in exposure. These matches were played in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Malaysia's win in the series surprised many of the local fans and their expectations soared. 

However, there was a misunderstanding in the travel schedule. 

At the Sydney airport we were informed that next stop for a 2-day break was Nadi, Fiji and not on the beaches of Tahiti. This was a big disappointment. In Nadi we stayed in a good hotel, amongst a sugar cane plantation. After a 2-day rest, the trip took us to Houston, Los Angeles, and ended up in Mexico City amongst the fear of student rebellion who might be reacting to the shooting of the 200 students.

Finally arrived in Mexico!

Thankfully, we did not encounter any student rebellion! 

Malaysia started well in the tournament, drawing the first 3 games against France, East Germany and Kenya. The team was getting tired as breathing was becoming difficult and painful. We went down in the next two games against Australia and India. From there onwards, it was all the way downhill. 

We had a number of injuries which contributed to this. Captain and goalkeeper Ho Koh Chye was hit on the head during a penalty corner melee and had to be carried out. Half back Jack Johnson was his replacement. Koh Chye had to be rested on medical advice the next two games and reserve keeper, Leong Wei Piu took over. M. Arulraj, our reliable half back and first runner out and hand stopper for penalty corners walked through a glass door going for dinner and injured himself. Koe Chong Jin, our main striker, fell on the cement court during morning physical training and injured his head and dislocated his shoulder. 

Soaking in the local culture in Mexico

Those days teams on oversea tours did not have the luxury of an extra official as fitness trainer unlike these days, so I was conducting the conditioning training. 

3 major players out was a big blow to the team. We were no longer the same team that we started with. Malaysia finally played home team Mexico for 15th/16th placing and struggled to win 1-0, a goal scored by Harnahal Singh. Malaysia was placed 15th that year. 

Malaysia had convincingly beaten this same team in a practice match earlier. This was an indication of the deterioration of the motivation level of the team. 

The return home trip which was long but enjoyable. The players had contributed to cover cost, some had to take company loans but it was worthwhile as many will not come by that way again. The route home was via Montreal, Rome, Amsterdam, London, Bangkok and finally, Kuala Lumpur.

 There were some other minor episodes along the way which I don't intend to discuss and place any of my dear and fellow mates in any form of embarrassment. We went as one, we stay as one. If ever there was any real short comings, then it was the lack of an orientation prior to leaving. We must remember that some of these players were first time out of the country.

My last 2 assignments to the Olympics were in the 1988 Seoul Olympics as an NSC representative, and in 2000 Sydney Olympics as the Men’s Hockey Team Manager.

In 1988, Malaysia did not qualify for the Olympics, but I was sent under NSC’s sponsorship with the purpose of ‘spying’ on the participating teams that would be playing in the Raja Azlan Shah tournament in Ipoh for the qualifying rounds of the London Hockey World Cup that same year.

I was the chief coach of the team. Freddy Vias, C Thavanayagam and S.Perempalam (MHC Treasurer) also came along to Seoul. 

We succeeded in the Raja Azlan Shah tournament by beating South Korea 1-0, hence qualifying for the next round in New Jersey. Sarjit Singh scored the all important goal. However, our journey ended in New Jersey and Malaysia failed to make it to London.

Coming back to the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the Koreans had a well-organized opening ceremony, filled with colour and movement. But, the releasing of the doves met a disaster, as the doves which were suppose to be fluttering off to the sky and home, instead were flying in confusion after being released due to the noisy stadium.  

The reason why doves are not used anymore at the Olympics opening ceremony (Photo credit : dailystar.co.uk)

The crowd met with droppings from above, as the doves found their place inside the stadium on top of the cauldron. And when the cauldron was lit, hundreds of half-roasted doves ended flying aimlessly in panic! 

Here in Seoul, I had the rare opportunity to witness the greatest athletic event of the decade or century – the 100 metre race between Jamaican-born Canadian, Ben Johnson and the great Carl Lewis of the United States of America. Ben was already boasting that ‘when the gun goes off, the race would be over’ and, in a way, that was what happened. Ben Johnson took the gold in an unbelievable time of 9.79s, with Carl Lewis coming in second at 9.92s. Carl shook Johnson’s hand and walked off. 

Ben Johnson was later found to have cheated in a doping scandal that rocked the world.

As for me, I had witnessed the race of the century!

Most memorable events at the 1988 Seoul and 2000 Melbourne Olympics (Photo credit : thestar.com and The Guardian)

Meanwhile, in the hockey scene, Great Britain created an upset as she defeated the mighty Australians 3-2 in the semifinals and then West Germany 3-1 in the finals to take the Men’s Hockey Gold!

DYMM Tuanku Sultan Azlan Shah, beloved President of Malaysian Hockey Federation and Her Royal Highness Anne, were at the stadium, adding honour and prestige to the event.

The 2000 Sydney Olympics to me was the most memorable. Over 200 nations consisting of 12,000 participants gathered at Home Bush to mix and mingle, and above all, to showcase their prowess, the fruits of years of hard work and sacrifice.    

One of the greatest event that year, was when the whole of Australia came to a standstill to cheer their aboriginal Australian athlete, Cathy Freeman, clad in a specially designed attire, to become the first aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic Gold in the 400 metre event.

She then took the victory lap with both the Australian and aboriginal flag draped round her to join Lionel Rose as the 2 greatest aboriginal athletes!

Now comes my greatest regret and disappointment in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as Malaysia missed the semi-finals by a mere 34 seconds when Pakistan equalized 2-2 through a penalty corner by their world class penalty corner taker, Sohail Abbas. Our goals were scored by Suhaimi Ibrahim and Chua Boon Huat.

This broke the hearts of not only the thousand of Malaysian hockey fans, but that of our beloved father of Malaysian hockey, DYMM Sultan Azlan Shah, who was present to watch the game. 

A chance of making history was missed. To me, it would have been a personal fitting ‘Thank You’ for the years of service to Malaysian hockey. Stephen Van Huizen, Chief Coach and Yahya Atan, his able assistant had worked very hard with the team and were bitterly disappointed, as expected.

Celebrations in Osaka, at the Olympics qualifiers after we qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics

2000 Sydney Olympics Men’s Hockey Team

Privileged to have met former Australian Prime Minister Mr Bob Hawke in Sydney. He said we should take a photo together as we have the same hairstyle!

I would like end my Olympic journey by expressing what is on my mind.

-          Are the Olympics really something special? 

-          Do you really believe so?

-          Or is it just another international sporting event?

-          Is it just to make money and leave the poor to continue being poor, and allow racism and sexism to exist?

-          Is it about who can win the most number of medals?

There is nothing about learning and connecting with others from different societies and cultural background. If it is so, and only when that happens, can the Olympic Games be considered something special.

Others, of course, may have differing views.

Nonetheless, I am grateful that I have been blessed with the opportunity to be part of the Olympics 4 times - twice as a player (1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico), once as a Sport Council representative (1988 Seoul) and once as a team manager (2000 Sydney), and will forever hold these memories and experience close to my heart. 

Dato’ R.Yogeswaran signing off.

(Interviewed and compiled by Charles Lim)