Dato' Paduka Mumtaz Jaffar is a shining example of a woman who overcame a childhood disability to become a Southeast Asian sports champion. Born in 1962 in Kuala Lumpur, Mumtaz was asthmatic, and lived a sheltered life as a child; not allowed to participate in sports events nor physical education or P.E. But at an inter-school district athletics meet, she was asked by her teacher to replace a runner who was absent. Reluctantly she did, and won the race. That one single event practically transformed her life, forever.
Then Mumtaz joined Zaiton Othman, Saik Oi Kum and V. Anggamah to win both the 4 x 100m and the 4 x 400m relays. The quartet broke the SEA Games and the national record in the 4 x 100m and the Asian record in the 4 x 400m. And later that year, the crack team won the 4 x 400m at the Asian Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Having defeated her asthma for 50 years now, Dato' Paduka Mumtaz spends her time giving back to Malaysian sport. She's the first woman to be elected Deputy President of the Malaysian Athletics Federation and she's a Vice President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).
