Datuk Punch Gunalan passed away this morning. He was 68 years-old.
Deepest condolences to his family and may he Rest in Peace.
You will always be remembered Datuk as person who gave everything to the game of badminton and did the nation proud time and again.
Datuk Punch was inducted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia Hall of Fame in 2004.
Achievements
1969 - Champion, U.S. Open for Men’s Double title
1970 - His first contribution in Thomas Cup
1970 - 1972 - Champion, Danish Open for Men’s Double title
1971 - Champion, U.S. Open for Men’s Double title
1971 - Champion, All England for Men’s Double title
1971 - Champion, Canadian Open for Men’s double title
2005 - Became Deputy President of the International Badminton Federation
Datuk Punch Gunalan (April 2, 1944 – August 14, 2012) was a former badminton star of Malaysia and one of the finest combination doubles and singles players that the country has ever produced. He was born in Sepang, Selangor.
He was a talented right-hander who spent what might have been some of the best years of his playing career competing only sporadically as a student in England. Gunalan did not represent Malaysia in Thomas Cup (the men's world team championship) until the 1970 series in Kuala Lumpur at the comparatively late "rookie" age of 26. Here Malaysia relinquished its title to Indonesia in the final, 2--7, with Gunalan and Ng Boon Bee in doubles gaining one of the two points. In 1971 Gunalan and Boon Bee were the leading men's doubles team in the world, winning the prestigious All England title, as well as the Danish, Canadian, and U.S. Open titles.
Though perhaps less consistent in singles than he was in doubles, Gunalan was capable of playing it at the highest level. He reached the All-England singles final in 1974, losing in three close games to the iconic Rudy Hartono. He won singles at the quadrennial Asian Games in 1970 and at the quadrennial Commonwealth Games in 1974.
Since retiring as a player after 1974, Gunalan has served in various stints as coach of the Malaysian team, an official in the Malaysian Badminton Association, and as an official in the International Badminton Federation (now Badminton World Federation).
Source: Wikipedia.
Deepest condolences to his family and may he Rest in Peace.
You will always be remembered Datuk as person who gave everything to the game of badminton and did the nation proud time and again.
Datuk Punch was inducted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia Hall of Fame in 2004.
Achievements
1969 - Champion, U.S. Open for Men’s Double title
1970 - His first contribution in Thomas Cup
1970 - 1972 - Champion, Danish Open for Men’s Double title
1971 - Champion, U.S. Open for Men’s Double title
1971 - Champion, All England for Men’s Double title
1971 - Champion, Canadian Open for Men’s double title
2005 - Became Deputy President of the International Badminton Federation
Datuk Punch Gunalan (April 2, 1944 – August 14, 2012) was a former badminton star of Malaysia and one of the finest combination doubles and singles players that the country has ever produced. He was born in Sepang, Selangor.
He was a talented right-hander who spent what might have been some of the best years of his playing career competing only sporadically as a student in England. Gunalan did not represent Malaysia in Thomas Cup (the men's world team championship) until the 1970 series in Kuala Lumpur at the comparatively late "rookie" age of 26. Here Malaysia relinquished its title to Indonesia in the final, 2--7, with Gunalan and Ng Boon Bee in doubles gaining one of the two points. In 1971 Gunalan and Boon Bee were the leading men's doubles team in the world, winning the prestigious All England title, as well as the Danish, Canadian, and U.S. Open titles.
Though perhaps less consistent in singles than he was in doubles, Gunalan was capable of playing it at the highest level. He reached the All-England singles final in 1974, losing in three close games to the iconic Rudy Hartono. He won singles at the quadrennial Asian Games in 1970 and at the quadrennial Commonwealth Games in 1974.
Since retiring as a player after 1974, Gunalan has served in various stints as coach of the Malaysian team, an official in the Malaysian Badminton Association, and as an official in the International Badminton Federation (now Badminton World Federation).
Source: Wikipedia.
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