Punch Gunalan

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
Country	Malaysia
Born	(1944-02-04)4 February 1944 Sepang, Selangor, Japanese Malaya
Died	15 August 2012(2012-08-15) (aged 68) Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Handedness	Right
Event	Men's Singles & Men's Doubles
Medal record Men's badminton Representing  Malaysia Thomas Cup 1970 Kuala Lumpur Men's team Commonwealth Games 1970 Edinburgh Men's doubles 1974 Christchurch Men's singles 1974 Christchurch Men's doubles Asian Games 1970 Bangkok Men's doubles 1970 Bangkok Men's singles 1970 Bangkok Men's team Asian Championships 1969 Manila Men's doubles 1969 Manila Men's singles 1969 Manila Men's team Southeast Asian Games 1969 Yangon Men's singles 1969 Yangon Men's doubles 1971 Kuala Lumpur Men's doubles 1971 Kuala Lumpur Men's team 1973 Singapore Men's singles 1971 Kuala Lumpur Men's singles 1973 Singapore Men's doubles 1973 Singapore Men's team 1973 Singapore Mixed doubles

Badminton career

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

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

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

Honours

• Malaysia:
  • Herald of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia (BSD) (1988)
  • Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia (PSD) – Datuk (1992)

Achievements

Olympic Games (demonstration)

Men's doubles

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

Commonwealth Games

Men's singles

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

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1970	Meadowbank Stadium, 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

Asian Games

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

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	Yukinori Hori Ippei Kojima	15–8, 5–15, 15–11	Gold

Southeast Asian Peninsular Games

Men's singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
1969	Aung San National Indoor Stadium, Rangoon, Burma	Soon Akayapisud	15–2, 15–4	Gold
1971	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Tan Aik Huang	12–15, 11–15	Silver
1973	Singapore Badminton Stadium, Singapore	Tan Aik Mong	15–8, 15–11	Gold

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1969	Aung San National Indoor Stadium, Rangoon, Burma	Yew Cheng Hoe	Thongchai Phongful Singha Siribanterng	15–8, 15–9	Gold
1971	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Ng Boon Bee	Ng Tat Wai Ho Khim Kooi	15–10, 15–10	Gold
1973	Singapore Badminton Stadium, Singapore	Dominic Soong	Sangob Rattanusorn Bandid Jaiyen	10–15, 15–18	Silver

Mixed doubles

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

International tournaments

Men's singles

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

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1966	Dutch Open	Oon Chong Hau	Elo Hansen Knud Aage Nielsen	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	Willi Braun Roland Maywald	15–12, 15–8	Winner
1971	Denmark Open	Ng Boon Bee	Indra Gunawan Rudy Hartono	11–15, 15–4, 15–8	Winner
1971	All England	Ng Boon Bee	Indra Gunawan Rudy Hartono	15–5, 15–3	Winner
1971	Canadian 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	Bandid Jaiyen Sangob Rattanusorn	15–6, 15–6	Winner
1972	German Open	Ng Boon Bee	Elliot Stuart Derek Talbot	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	Ray Stevens Mike Tredgett	15–9, 15–8	Winner