Queen of speed: Rajamani’s Merdeka spirit

Free Malaysia Today

Rajamani Mailvaganam, Malaysia’s first female Olympian, reflects on her sporting career and the true meaning of independence.   Story by: Dinesh Kumar Maganathan  Shot by: Afizi Ismail  Presented by: Theevya Ragu  Edited by: Vishna Laxmi Balasubramaniam   Read More:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2024/08/19/queen-of-speed-rajamani-speaks-of-her-love-for-msia/   Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com  Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5  Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM  Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h  Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp  Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX  Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb  Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj  Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Download FMT News App:  Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46  App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ  Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP   #FMTLifestyle #DatukRajamani #QueenOfSpeed #MalaysiaFirstFemaleOlympian

Transcript

00:00Irrespective of race, religion, we all should live as Malaysians.

00:07I am for you, you are for me.

00:09We are all human. Let us live as one.

00:15M Rajamani may be 80 years old, but the former Queen of Speed

00:20vividly remembers her first Merdeka Day celebration as if it was yesterday.

00:26At just 14, Malaysia's first female Olympian of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics

00:33joined her family at a Chinese school in Tapa to celebrate Malaya's independence.

00:39I would have been about 10 years old.

00:43We were asked to shout Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka three times.

00:48I didn't even know what Merdeka was, you see, then.

00:52But over the years, Merdeka has come to be more than just a historical event

00:57for this multi-gold medalist.

00:59It has become deeply personal.

01:01So much so, that whenever she hears the Negaraku, she tears up.

01:08Well, automatically tears flow down the eyes, you see,

01:11because I value the freedom we have got.

01:15Would we be having the freedom that we have today?

01:19Would we be living in luxurious homes like this?

01:22And, you know, have cars and all the facilities that we have?

01:27This grandmother of four made history as the first Malaysian woman

01:32to win a gold medal for the 400 metres at the 1966 Asian Games.

01:37She also dominated the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, winning seven golds.

01:44Her dedication and contributions to the nation's sports

01:47earned her the National Sportswoman Award in 1966 and again in 1967

01:54when she received the honour from the late Tunku Abdul Rahman himself.

02:00Tunku Abdul Rahman was a very nice person.

02:04And he even made an attempt to come for one of the MAU runs that was in Alosta, I think.

02:12He came there mainly to see me and Negar run.

02:15Rajamani's success on the track is rooted in her childhood,

02:19in which her father played a pivotal role.

02:22He made sure that she could pursue her passion for running,

02:25even having a local cobbler make her a treasured pair of spikes.

02:30I tell you, he was a beautiful person.

02:33To get a father like him, I was blessed.

02:36He was a marvellous father.

02:39I achieved in sports because of him.

02:42Beyond uplifting the name of a nascent nation on the world stage,

02:46Rajamani played a significant role in training future Malaysian athletes,

02:51such as the Siddig brothers, who clinched the 1992 Thomas Cup,

02:56and a teenage Lee Chong Wei, who still calls her coach whenever they meet.

03:02Well, I would proudly say I'm very satisfied with what I did.

03:07I gave my best.

03:09Contribution is not what you do on the top.

03:12What about the young, the grassroot level, you see?

03:15If we don't develop them, they will not reach there.

03:18Still filled with a deep sense of pride for the country she so loves,

03:23the support she has received from fellow Malaysians

03:26has only served to make her sporting career that much sweeter.

03:30Irrespective of race, religion, you know,

03:35we all should live as Malaysians.

03:39I am for you, you are for me.

03:42That is the biggest dream I have.

03:46Irrespective of whether you are a drain sweeper,

03:50or you are the minister,

03:54we are all human.

03:56Let us live as one.

03:59Divya Ragu and Dinesh Kumar Maganadan, FMT Lifestyle.

04:05www.FMTLifestyle.com

Category

Transcript

Recommended