Shah still on the cycle of life
Monday, June 30, 2014 - Malay Mail
Cycling is Shaharuddin fi rst love. While many his age — he turns 74 on Octocber 20 — would rather take it easy, he still has the burning desire to give back to cycling.
“I have been hooked on the sport ever since I rode a normal bicycle and fi nished second in a seven-mile race in Sitiawan in 1958,” said Shaharuddin.
“Together with my wife, Hasmah Ibrahim, who is an ardent cycling supporter, we have been involved in the sport all our lives.
Shaharuddin feeding the ducks at his farm. — Pictures by Mohd Izzul Elyas
“If there is a will, there is always a way. As long as one practises honesty, strict governance and hard work.
“More often than not, things do not go well because of poor preparations and officials who are not sincere in their undertakings,” said the retired sports offi cer with the Sports Ministry.
Shaharuddin related an incident to underline his passion for cycling.
“I had opened a bicycle shop in Shah Alam in 2007 as I wanted to be associated with cycling even after my retirement. Unfortunately, I had to go for my bypass and when I came out from my surgery, the first thing I asked my wife was whether the bicycle shop was doing well,” said Shaharuddin.
Hasmah said: “I thought he was crazy talking about the shop when his health was more important.
“But that is Shaharuddin for you. He puts the sport above everything else.” Shaharuddin, however, had to close the bicycle shop after two years as some people who were helping him were not honest and his business was in the red.
Today, the couple stays in Shah Alam while their three grown-up children stay with their own families.
“I managed to turn a small plot of unused land behind the house to farm vegetables,” said Shaharuddin as he proudly showed the fruits of his labour — banana, jackfruit and lime trees and vegetables.
But his pride is the 50 ducks he is rearing for eggs.
“When my wife fell ill (diagnosed with fourth stage cancer in 2011), I was told by the doctor that a place with serenity will be good therapy for her.
“I decided to set up this small gardening area and rear ducks. The first 30 ducklings we bought died, eaten by dogs or went missing.
We then bought another 30 of which half survived. Wiser from experience, we bought another 30 and now have about 50 full-grown ducks.”
Shaharuddin said he collects about 40 eggs daily which he sells for some extra income.
“It is not so much the income, but as a hobby and therapy for my wife. We spend at least two to three hours in the morning and evening at the pond,” said Shaharuddin.
And as the couple spends time by the pond, they cannot help thinking about how they can get back to the sport they love.
ROLL OF HONOUR
# National cyclist: 1957-1970
# Asian Games bronze medalist (team) 1962, Jakarta
# Bronze medalist Asia cycling championships, Kuala Lumpur 1963
# First gold and bronze medalist for cycling
# Competed in: Commonwealth Games in Perth, 1962, SEAP Games and Asia cycling championships 1961.1969
# Olympic Games (Tokyo 1964) as cyclist and as team manager (1972 Munich)
# Qualified as the first Malaysian international cycling commissaire 1973 and officiated at meets from 1973 to 2006
# Malaysian Cycling Federation secretary: 1970.1988
# Coach of Selangor and national team: 1969-1984
# Inducted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia Hall of Fame in 2007
ICONS FROM THE PAST
SATURDAY
JUNE 28, 2014 The Malay Mail
By TONY MARIADASS
SHAHARUDDIN JAFFAR, having spent a lifetime in cycling, intends to give it a final
fling in the twilight of his years.
Since starting as a schoolboy cyclist in the 1950s, he has achieved virtually everything
the sport has to offer — as national coach, administrator, international commissaire,
entrepreneur, event organiser and ambassador.
Cycling is Shaharuddin first love. While many his age — he turns 74 on October
20 — would rather take it easy, he still has the burning desire to give back to cycling.
“I have been hooked on the sport ever since I rode a normal bicycle and finished
second in a seven-mile race in Sitiawan in 1958,” said Shaharuddin.
“Together with my wife, Hasmah Ibrahim, who is an ardent cycling supporter, we
have been involved in the sport all our lives.
“Yes, the sport has come a long way since the early days, but it still has tremendous
potential and the young talent has not been tapped fully.”
Shaharudin won a gold medal in the 800m sprint and silver in the 1,600m sprint
at the SEAP Games held in Kuala Lumpur in 1965 — cycling’s first medals at the Games.
He plans to introduce cycling to schools and conduct competitions throughout the
country.
“I am more than able to give ideas and even organise it, but I need someone who
is reliable to work with, someone to come up with the working paper, raise funds and
knock on the doors of bureaucrats.”
He emphasised that participating in races is part of the training programme at the
grassroots.
Shaharuddin, who underwent a by-pass in 2008, is not afraid of challenges because
he has done so many impossible things in cycling.
One that is still fresh in his mind is how he turned around Malaysia’s fortune in the
sport with just RM44.60 in the coffers of the then Malaysian Cycling Federation when he
became the secretary in 1970.
“If there is a will, there is always a way. As long as one practises honesty, strict governance
and hard work.
“More often than not, things do not go well because of poor preparations and officials who are not sincere in their undertakings,” said the retired sports officer with the
Sports Ministry.
Shaharuddin related an incident to underline his passion for cycling.
“I had opened a bicycle shop in Shah Alam in 2007 as I wanted to be associated with
cycling even after my retirement. Unfortunately, I had to go for my bypass and when
I came out from my surgery, the first thing I asked my wife was whether the bicycle shop
was doing well,” said Shaharuddin.
Hasmah said: “I thought he was crazy talking about the shop when his health was
more important.
“But that is Shaharuddin for you. He puts the sport above everything else.”
Shaharuddin, however, had to close the bicycle shop after two years as some people
who were helping him were not honest and his business was in the red.
Today, the couple stays in Shah Alam while their three grown-up children stay
with their own families.
“I managed to turn a small plot of unused land behind the house to farm vegetables,”
said Shaharuddin as he proudly showed the fruits of his labour — banana, jackfruit and
lime trees and vegetables.
But his pride is the 50 ducks he is rearing for eggs.
“When my wife fell ill (diagnosed with fourth stage cancer in 2011), I was told by
the doctor that a place with serenity will be good therapy for her.
“I decided to set up this small gardening area and rear ducks. The first 30 ducklings
we bought died, eaten by dogs or went missing.
We then bought another 30 of which half survived. Wiser from experience, we
bought another 30 and now have about 50 full-grown ducks.”
Shaharuddin said he collects about 40 eggs daily which he sells for some extra income.
“It is not so much the income, but as a hobby and therapy for my
wife. We spend at least two to three hours in the morning and evening at the pond,” said Shaharuddin.
And as the couple spends time by the pond, they cannot help
thinking about how they can get back to the sport they love.
ROLL OF HONOUR
● National cyclist: 1957-1970
● Asian Games bronze medallist (team)
1962, Jakarta
● Bronze medallist Asia cycling championships,
Kuala Lumpur 1963
● First gold and bronze medallist for cycling
Shaharuddin with his gold and silver medals from the 1965 SEAP Games.
● Competed in: Commonwealth Games in
Perth, 1962, SEAP Games and Asia cycling
championships 1961–1969
● Olympic Games (Tokyo 1964) as cyclist
and as team manager (1972 Munich)
● Qualified as the fi rst Malaysian international
cycling commissaire 1973 and officiated
at meets from 1973 to 2006
● Malaysian Cycling Federation secretary:
1970–1988
● Coach of Selangor and national team:
1969-1984
● Inducted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia
Hall of Fame in 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment