Datuk Punch Gunalan(Gunalan s/o Panchacaran) is a former male badminton star of Malaysia and one of the finest combination doubles and singles players that the country has ever produced.
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. Even Datuk Lee has yet to win it.
When he won the Commonwealth Games singles title, he went to the opponent's court to hug him and shake hand. That's his sportsman spirit.
He was the only player turned coach to win Thomas Cup. He was collapsed in Kenya during 1972 Thomas Cup due to diagnosed as having a small lung (half the size of a regular one). He didnt give up, but switch to doubles and won most of the titles around the word with Ng Boon Bee.
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. Even Datuk Lee has yet to win it.
When he won the Commonwealth Games singles title, he went to the opponent's court to hug him and shake hand. That's his sportsman spirit.
He was the only player turned coach to win Thomas Cup. He was collapsed in Kenya during 1972 Thomas Cup due to diagnosed as having a small lung (half the size of a regular one). He didnt give up, but switch to doubles and won most of the titles around the word with Ng Boon Bee.
He was called P.Gunalan. Later, when he won the Asian Games, the press stated "Punched Gunalan for Gold Medal". Since then, they started calling him Punch Gunalan, which made him to chnage his name officialy in National Registration Dept.
He words are" Love the game, not the Luxury".
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