This work is originally published by Cahya Mata Sarawak. DayakDaily is given the permission to share this story within our platforms.
By Martin Yee, Kenny Ee, and Marlynda Meraw
CHAN Pak Weng, the generational triple jumper of the 1950s, is remembered not just for his athletic prowess but also for the grace and sportsmanship he brought to the track. His name is synonymous with the long and triple jumps, especially the latter, where he shared the field with fellow athletes like Peter Thien, Terrence Janting, Joseph Lee Gut Hing, Tham Siew Kai, and Joseph Chua.
Pak Weng’s athletic achievements spanned nearly a decade. His record triple jump of 45 feet 9½ inches stood firm until 1965, while his long jump victory of 21 feet 8 inches in
1955 remains a hallmark of his talent. He won both events at the Sarawak Amateur Athletic Association (SAAA) Meet for three years — 1954, 1955, and again in 1961. Pak Weng’s triumphs weren’t confined to Sarawak. He proudly brought home a bronze medal at the Malaya Open Athletic Meet in 1954—Sarawak’s debut appearance in the competition. He was Sarawak’s triple jump champion from 1954 until 1962, dominating the event for nine straight years.
Pak Weng’s legacy wasn’t just built on medals and distances, his dedication to the sport extended beyond competition. In 1962, he joined the Sarawak contingent for the British Empire Games in Perth, Australia, serving as assistant manager. He also represented Sarawak at the 26th Malaysia Amateur Athletics Assoctian (MAAA) Open in Singapore in 1957 as part of the Borneo team.
Born in 1933, Pak Weng’s early education began at Chinese Middle School, later known as Kuching High School, before he moved on to St. Joseph’s School from 1951 to 1956. It was during his time at St. Joseph’s that his passion for sports ignited. The school was known for excelling in athletics, and Pak Weng was eager to join in. His first taste of competition came at the inaugural Sarawak athletic meet — then called the Kuching Amateur Athletics Association (AAA) Meet — in 1954.
Pak Weng often reflected on how different athletics was in those early years. “Things were very different back then,” he recalled. “Facilities were poor, we had to run on grass, and there were no coaches or financial support like today. If we travelled, we sought help from wealthy businessmen. But the school’s annual sports meet was a grand affair, with the Governor attending.” It was in these humble conditions that Pak Weng and his fellow athletes thrived.
He fondly remembered Terrence Janting, a top sprinter at the time, who was trained in Ipoh before returning to Kuching. He also recalled his trip to the SEA Games in Bangkok and the unfortunate fate of Albert Blassan, a fellow State icon who was forced out of the pole vault competition when the latter’s aluminium pole broke, and there were no replacements.
“Before Albert, there was Lawrence Chua, who later became a priest,” he added with a smile. Despite the challenges of those early days, Pak Weng’s talent carried him to victory. In 1961, he won gold in the long jump at the Singapore AAA Championships, and two years later, he competed at the MAAA Meet in Kuala Lumpur. He also represented Sarawak in the Borneo Games from 1954 to 1962, though in the Inter-Territorial Meet, he often found himself coming in second to Sabahan great, Gabuh Piging.
Reflecting on those times, Pak Weng often spoke of the camaraderie between athletes. “There was so much friendship among us,” he said. “I remember during a meet in Singapore in the 50s, an international athlete, a competitor, gave me tips on the technical aspects of the long jump.” Pak Weng’s retirement from competition in 1963 didn’t mark the end of his contributions to athletics. He quickly transitioned into a leadership role, becoming an official of the Sarawak AAA. He served as honorary secretary in 1964 and chaired the Statistics Sub-Committee from 1965 to 1971. His passion for the sport extended into coaching, and he was appointed coach of the Sarawak team for the Malayan AAA Meet in Alor Setar in 1967.
His meticulous attention to detail was evident in the statistics and records he maintained for Sarawak AAA. These records, published in various SAAA magazines from the 1950s to the 1980s, remain invaluable resources, a testament to his dedication as a sportsman, coach, and official. Pak Weng’s name endures not just as a Sarawak sports legend but as a man whose quiet yet profound contributions to the world of athletics shaped the history of sport in the region. –DayakDaily
