Quick Facts
Biography
Canagasabai Kunalan (born 23 October 1942) is a retired Singaporean sprinter, relay runner, former footballer and educator, widely regarded as one of Singapore's greatest ever athletes. Named Sportsman of the Year in both 1968 and 1969, his feat of 10.38 seconds in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games 100 metres was a national record that stood for 33 years.
Career
Runner
Kunalan first came into running in 1963, at the age of 20. Formerly a football player, Kunalan switched to running when his PE teacher commended him for his fast moving legs after noticing him running while chasing the ball. He participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics as part of the Malaysian 4 × 100 m relay team with Malaysian sprint legend Mani Jegathesan, and subsequently represented Singapore after it left the federation.
Kunalan has participated in two Olympic Games (Tokyo, 1964 and Mexico City, 1968) and has earned five Asian Games and fifteen Southeast Asian Peninsular Games medals.
Educator
C Kunalan taught six years in Tiong Bahru Primary School and thirteen years in Dunearn Secondary Technical School before joining the National Institute of Education in 1980. Kunalan became an assistant professor there. He specialised in functional anatomy and exercise physiology, and conducted practical classes in fitness and conditioning. Kunalan left the institute in 2010.
He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2015 as part of the National Day awards.
Singapore Athletic Association
He also serves as Vice Principal(Training and Selection) with the Singapore Athletic Association.
SYOGOC
Kunalan was one of the 23 members of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC).
Other appearances
Kunalan also made a cameo appearance in the music video for one of the three 2010 Summer Youth Olympics cheer songs, You Are The One Singapore, alongside former athlete Ang Peng Siong and swimmer Tao Li.