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8 goals in Munich Olympics

M. MAHENDRAN

I'm M. Mahendran

The 1972 National Sportsman Award must surely be M. Mahendran's signature of hockey achievement. No other Malaysian hockey player has won that honour. M. Mahendran was born in 1947 in Alor Star, Kedah, the second of 10 children. 
He was introduced to the game when he was 10 by his cousin sisters who were national players. While studying at Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Alor Star, Kedah, Mahendran was voted best player in the national schools hockey tournament which drew the attention of national selectors. At the age of 17, he was called for the national trials in Kuala Lumpur. 

"My father called me aside, he put me in a bus and gave me RM5, and said get the hell out of here..."

Mahendran's family saw it as a golden opportunity for the teenager. 

He was coached by the very strict former international: "tyrant" Lawrence Van Huizen.

In 1967, at the age of 20, Mahendran displayed exceptional skill in the 1967 pre-Olympic Qualifier, but was not included in the 1968 Mexico Olympic team. A distraught Mahendran almost quit national hockey but was advised against it by his father who foresaw a bright career for his son.
In 1972, Mahendran was in top form at the Munich Olympic Games. 

He became the only Malaysian to score eight goals in the Olympics.

Mahendran's most memorable moment was the opening match against Uganda. He superbly scored a hat-trick and Malaysia won 3-1. 
In recognition of his Olympic achievement, 

Mahendran was voted 1972 National
Sportsman of the Year - the first and only hockey player to win it.

Mahendran was also in the side that has gone down as one of the best Malaysian hockey teams ever - the 1975 KL World Cup Team. They are the only Malaysian team to finish fourth in the World Cup.

"4th in the world, that goes in the record."

In 1976, Mahendran was awarded the A.M.N. (Ahli Mangku Negara) by the Yang di-Pertuan Agung. In all, Mahendran played in two Olympics, three World Cups and the Asian Games, among others. He was also national coach of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Hockey still runs in his veins because even now in his 70's, M. Mahendarn continues to play and coach.

"Hockey... It can change somebody's life overnight."

TIPS AND TREATS

The Champion In Me

Greatest thing of a sportsman
4th in the world
Hockey was everything

We Were Champions

Hockey

Achievements

National Team Debut
-  Pre-Olympics 1967  -

1968 Regional Championship, Pakistan

Asian Games
-  1970 Bangkok  -
-  1974 Tehran  -

━━━━━━
Olympics
-  1972 Munich  -
(Malaysia placed 8TH)
(top scorer)
(scored all 3 goals against Uganda)

-  1976 Montreal  -
(Malaysia placed 8TH)

━━━━━━

World Cup

-  1973 Amsterdam  -

-  1975 Kuala Lumpur  -
(Malaysia placed 4TH)

-  1978 Buenos Aires  -

SEAP/SEA Games
-  1971 - 1979  -

Coaching

-  Indonesia  -
(1987, 1989, 1996, 1997)

-  Thailand 1998  -
-  Thailand National Juniors  -
(1994/1995)

-  Malaysian B Team  -
(1987/1988)

-  Malaysian Senior Team  -
(1989/1991)

-  Sarawak  -
(2004 - 2009)

1972 Malaysian Sportsman of the Year

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