Datuk Punch Gunalan PSD BSD (4 February 1944 – 15 August 2012)[1][2] was a Malaysian badminton player, who achieved success in both singles and doubles competitions.

Punch Gunalan
Personal information
CountryMalaysia
Born(1944-02-04)4 February 1944
Sepang, Selangor, Japanese Malaya
Died15 August 2012(2012-08-15) (aged 68)
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
HandednessRight
EventMen's Singles & Men's Doubles

Badminton career

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Gunalan 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.

In early 70s, Gunalan and his partner, Ng Boon Bee became the leading men's doubles team in the world.[3] They captured gold at the biennial Asian Games (1970), at the quadrennial Commonwealth Games (1970), and at the Asian Championships (1969). They captured the venerable All England title in 1971.

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 sets to the iconic Rudy Hartono.[4] He also helped Malaysia reach the Thomas Cup final in 1970. He is the only Malaysian to capture gold medals in both men's singles and men's doubles at the Sea Games, the Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Games.[5]

Post-retirement

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After retiring as a player in 1974 Gunalan 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). In 1992, as team manager of the Thomas Cup together with Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Elyas Omar, Malaysia won the Thomas Cup beating Indonesia.[6]

Death

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Gunalan died on 15 August 2012 in Subang Medical Centre, Subang Jaya, after a short battle against cancer. He was 68.[7]

Honours

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Honours of Malaysia

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Achievements

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Olympic Games (demonstration)

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Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1972 Olympiapark, Munich, West Germany   Ng Boon Bee   Ade Chandra
  Christian Hadinata
4–15, 15–2, 11–15   Silver

Asian Games

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Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1970 Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand   Muljadi 4–15, 15–3, 15–12   Gold

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1970 Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand   Ng Boon Bee   Junji Honma
  Shoichi Toganoo
5–15, 15–8, 15–7   Gold

Asian Championships

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Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1969 Rizal Stadium, Manila, Philippines   Muljadi 11–15, 3–15   Silver

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1969 Rizal Stadium, Manila, Philippines   Ng Boon Bee   Ippei Kojima
  Yukinori Hori
15–8, 5–15, 15–11   Gold

Southeast Asian Peninsular Games

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Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1969 Yangon, Myanmar   Yew Cheng Hoe   Thongchai Phongful
  Singha Siribanterng
  Gold
1971 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia   Ng Boon Bee   Ng Tat Wai
  Ho Khim Kooi
  Gold
1973 Singapore Badminton Stadium, Singapore City, Singapore   Dominic Soong   Sangob Rattanusorn
  Bandid Jaiyen
10–15, 15–18   Silver

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1969 Yangon, Myanmar   Soon Akayapisud   Gold
1971 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia   Tan Aik Huang 12–15, 11–15   Silver
1973 Singapore Badminton Stadium, Singapore City, Singapore   Tan Aik Mong 15–8, 15–11   Gold

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1973 Singapore Badminton Stadium, Singapore City, Singapore   Sylvia Ng   Yeo Ah Seng
  Tan Chor Kiang
15–5, 15–6   Bronze

Commonwealth Games

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Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1970 Edinburgh, Scotland   Ng Boon Bee   Ng Tat Wai
  Tan Soon Hoi
15–3, 15–3   Gold
1974 Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand   Dominic Soong   Bob McCoig
  Fraser Gow
17–18, 15–5, 15–7   Bronze

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1974 Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand   Jamie Paulson 15–1, 15–6   Gold

International tournaments

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Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1966 Dutch Open   Oon Chong Hau   Knud Aage Nielsen
  Elo Hansen
15–4, 15–4   Winner
1968 Northern Indian   Tan Yee Khan   Rudy Hartono
  Indratno
15–3, 6–15, 7–15   Runner-up
1969 Singapore Pesta   Ng Boon Bee   Indratno
  Mintarja
15–5, 15–5   Winner
1969 U.S. Open   Ng Boon Bee   Ippei Kojima
  Channarong Ratanaseangsuang
15–3, 15–7   Winner
1971 Poona Open   Ng Boon Bee   Lee Kok Pheng
  Lim Shook Kong
15–4, 15–5   Winner
1971 German Open   Ng Boon Bee   Roland Maywald
  Willi Braun
15–12, 15–8   Winner
1971 Denmark Open   Ng Boon Bee   Rudy Hartono
  Indra Gunawan
11–15, 15–4, 15–8   Winner
1971 All England   Ng Boon Bee   Rudy Hartono
  Indra Gunawan
15–5, 15–3   Winner
1971 Canada Open   Ng Boon Bee   Raphi Kanchanaraphi
  Channarong Ratanaseangsuang
15–0, 15–11   Winner
1971 U.S. Open   Ng Boon Bee   Don Paup
  Jim Poole
2–15, 18–13, 15–7   Winner
1972 Denmark Open   Ng Boon Bee   Sangob Rattanusorn
  Bandid Jaiyen
15–6, 15–6   Winner
1972 German Open   Ng Boon Bee   Derek Talbot
  Elliot Stuart
15–9, 15–12   Winner
1972 Singapore Open   Ng Boon Bee   Tan Aik Huang
  Tan Aik Mong
11–15, retired   Runner-up
1974 Scottish Open   Tom Bacher   Mike Tredgett
  Ray Stevens
  Winner

Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1974 All England   Rudy Hartono 15–8, 9–15, 10–15   Runner-up

References

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  1. ^ "Datuk Punch Gunalan". National Archives of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Datuk Punch Gunalan". National Archives of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018. (in Malay)
  3. ^ "Boon Bee recalls the joy of his partnership with Punch - Other Sports | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Hartono remembers Malaysian great as an uncompromising competitor - Other Sports | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Punch Gunalan answers your 10 questions - Business News | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Razif: 1992 Thomas Cup winning team had all-round depth - Community | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Malaysian badminton legend Punch Gunalan passes away". The Borneo Post. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2023.