Malaysia's Turbo Grandpa dies at 95
He passed away on Wednesday at Ipoh General Hospital after falling at home. Pushpanathan leaves behind a wife, daughter and two grandchildren.
Pushpanathan was a legend who ran in his 90s and even outran younger athletes.
Representing Perak, Pushpanathan wasn't chasing trophies, he was chasing purpose.
Pushpanathan was an English teacher from SM Raja Chulan in Ipoh who took up athletics late in his life. He made his debut at the Malaysian Open Masters in 2018.
He clocked 32.4 seconds in the 100m at the age of 93 to finish fourth in a category for men aged 75 and above. He was the only nonagenarian runner in the event.
In 2023, Pushpanathan won the 100m gold in 28.74s ahead of India's Kirpal Singh (45.78s) in the 90-94 age group at the Malaysian International Open Masters in Kuala Lumpur. In the same meeting, he ran the 200m in 88.8s to finish second.
Pushpanathan co-founded Swifts Athletics Club in Ipoh with Suppiah Ramalingam, helping to shape athletes like track queen M Rajamani.
He also served for over 60 years as a technical officer at national and international meets, including the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
The funeral ceremony for Pushpanathan will be held today at Six Pearls Funeral Parlour, Jalan Madras, Ipoh, followed by cremation at Buntong Crematorium.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Former Premier League referee Coote handed eight-week FA ban over Klopp comments
LONDON: Disgraced former Premier League referee David Coote has been given an eight-week suspension by the Football Association and told to attend an education programme over disparaging comments he made about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. Coote was sacked in December by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) after a video circulated on social media the previous month of him making derogatory remarks about Klopp and Liverpool in 2020. He has been further sanctioned by the FA for an "aggravated breach" of rule E3.2, because of the reference he made to Klopp's German nationality in the video. The FA's written reasons for the verdict announced Tuesday said Coote expressed "deep remorse" and acknowledged his comments were "crass and inappropriate." Coote was charged by the FA in June, with the English game's ruling body saying at the time he would face no further action in regard to separate allegations of gambling misconduct, which he had strenuously denied. The FA said those allegations had been fully investigated. A video showing Coote snorting white powder, reportedly during Euro 2024, emerged in November. Earlier this year European football's governing body UEFA banned Coote from any officiating activity until June 2026.
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Man City's Grealish joins Everton on season-long loan
LONDON: Manchester City winger Jack Grealish joined Everton on loan for the 2025-26 season on Tuesday in a bid to salvage his troubled career. Grealish fell out of favour with City boss Pep Guardiola last season and made just seven starts in the Premier League. The 29-year-old was left out of City's squad for the Club World Cup in the United States in a clear indication that he was no longer wanted by Guardiola. Everton's deal for Grealish, who earns a reported £300,000 (US$402,000) per week, comes just before the new Premier League campaign starts for the Toffees at Leeds on August 18. "I'm over the moon to have signed for Everton - it's massive for me, honestly. This is a great club, with great fans," Grealish said. Grealish has chosen the number 18 shirt at Everton in tribute to Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne, who wore it during their time with the club. "My two favourite English players ever are Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne and I know they both wore number 18 here," he said. "I spoke to Wayne before I came here and I mentioned that to him - about the number 18 - so I hope he's happy as well." Grealish joined City from Aston Villa in 2021 for a then British record fee of £100 million. The England international has won three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup with City, but his form had dipped significantly since he played a key role in the 2022-23 treble-winning campaign. He was left out of England's Euro 2024 squad, an omission that left him "heartbroken." Guardiola rarely picked Grealish last season despite City's struggles and he was left on the bench for the shock FA Cup final defeat against Crystal Palace. Amid concerns about his personal life after repeated reports of alcohol-fuelled late nights, Grealish will have a chance to revive his spluttering career at Everton and potentially earn a recall to the England squad ahead of next year's World Cup. "As soon as I spoke to the manager, I knew there was only one place that I wanted to go," Grealish said. "On social media, I've been flooded with messages from Everton supporters, so there's that side of it as well and that's another reason why I chose Everton. "I want to say thank you to the fans for all of the messages I've had already. Thank you for all of the love and support. I hope I can repay you now and I'm sure I will." Everton recently left Goodison Park to move into their new Hill Dickinson stadium ahead of the season, with Grealish set to take centre stage in the plush arena. He ranks as Everton's biggest signing since the end of last season after a quiet summer in the transfer market for boss David Moyes. "We welcome Jack to Everton and we're very pleased to have him on board," Moyes said. "I think we're getting him at a good time because he's experienced, he understands the Premier League and we're all fully aware of the levels he's capable of performing to.
The Sun
6 hours ago
- The Sun
Red Bull buy English rugby strugglers Newcastle
LONDON: Red Bull further extended their interests in sport on Tuesday by investing in rugby union for the first time by taking over English top-flight strugglers Newcastle. The Austria-based energy drinks company already has significant interests in football, motor racing and winter sports. The club will now be known as Newcastle Red Bulls. Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull CEO corporate projects and investments, said their aim was to 'empower the club to reach its full competitive potential'. They face an uphill task as they take over a club that has failed to sparkle in recent years, finishing bottom in the past three Premiership campaigns. Semore Kurdi, who had been majority owner since 2011, put Newcastle up for sale towards the end of last year. 'Red Bull's takeover of Newcastle is a landmark moment for our sport and a powerful endorsement of our vision and strategy for the future of the PREM,' PREM chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor said in a statement, using the new name for the rebranded Premiership. 'We are hugely excited by Red Bull's ambition for the club, which includes developing the player pathway in the North East and growing the club's fanbase,' he added. He said Red Bull's 'track record in global sport' would bring 'enormous value not only to Newcastle but to the PREM as a whole'. There will be no upheavals at the top with the vastly-experienced Steve Diamond remaining the club's director of rugby. The Newcastle players will get a chance to show their qualities to their new owners when they get their season underway with a home match against six-time champions Saracens on September 26. But while Red Bull have won six Formula One constructors' championships and eight drivers' world titles, Diamond warned the new regime would take time to make its presence felt at Newcastle -- although it would deliver success. 'We'll be looking at world-class facilities, world-class players, world-class coaches coming to Newcastle over the next three or four years to hopefully dominate in the future,' Diamond told a conference call. He added: 'The situation has happened at a difficult time for recruiting, so the main job I've been doing for the last four weeks is getting my ducks in a row to have a competitive team for September.' Diamond, however, is in no doubt of the importance of Red Bull's investment given Newcastle's nearest rival Premiership club is Sale, more than 100 miles away. 'It future-proofs the professional game in the North East and the north,' he said. - AFP
