Despite his twilight years, R Subramaniam can still vividly remember the thunderous cheer that filled the Merdeka Stadium 50 years ago when he lined up at the starting line for his last international meet.

It was the South East Asian Peninsular Games (known as SEA Games from 1977) in December 1971. Malaysia’s middle distance ace Subra, as he was fondly called, was getting ready for his pet event, the 800m.

And it was a race that he wanted to win with all his heart. He had been psyching himself up to face his arch-rival Jimmy Crampton from Burma (now called Myanmar) who was the favourite.

Crampton had beaten Subra in all major meets before that and the Malaysian wanted at least one victory before leaving the international scene.

The two runners were good friends but bitter enemies on the track. The pint-sized Jimmy had beaten the two-time Olympian in the Asian Games a year before and the SEAP Games event was billed by the media as the clash of the titans.

“I knew I had to avenge my defeat as it was my last international event. The whole nation was waiting eagerly after the massive media hype over the clash.

“My wife was at Stadium Merdeka too with my three-month old daughter. A few minutes before the race, I visualised myself on the winner’s rostrum with the national anthem playing with the Malaysian flag being raised. I knew then that I had to do it,” he told FMT.

Malaysian fans had flocked to the stadium to watch the race and the moment, the starting pistol was fired, the roar was deafening, the 81-year-old recalled.

“I could not hear myself think with the roar of the wonderful Malaysian fans. I stayed on Jimmy’s heels until the last 100m and then I decided to give it my all. I went past him with just metres to go to the finish line.

“The triumphant feeling of finally beating my nemesis was something out of this world. The spectators were overjoyed too. It was a victory for the nation, for all Malaysians,” the former prison director said.

As he stood on the rostrum with the gold medal around his neck, and NegaraKu filling the air with the Malaysian flag being raised, Subramaniam said his heart was filled with an inexplicable pride to see the fans from all races rooting for this “estate boy.”

Till today, the race remains his greatest triumph, an elusive victory that came at the perfect moment.

Besides qualifying for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and the 1968 games in Mexico, Subramaniam competed in the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia and the subsequent one in Kingston, Jamaica.

His regional feats in his 10-year athletics career include winning seven gold and six silver medals in the Asian and the SEAP Games, besides huge hauls in national meets.

“Another memorable milestone was the 1967 SEAP Games. After winning the 800m in record time, I had to run in the 5,000m just 30 minutes later. Despite that, I still came out first. I was the record holder for these events for many years but they all have now been broken,” he said.

Subramaniam’s three-month-old baby at the stadium then Subathira, is all grown up and she tells of how her mother Logambal Mohanan, who died a couple of months ago, used to regale her with tales of that glorious day as well as her father’s other athletic successes.

“My father was basically a self-made man as he did not have anyone coaching him. His discipline and staying away from alcohol and smoking made him go far,” Subathira said.

He hails from an estate and was brought up by his mother P Sinnamah, who was a rubber tapper. “It was a difficult life for me and my five siblings. We only had our mother as a breadwinner,” said Subramaniam, who lost his father at the age of nine.

His fortunes took a turn for the better when he was spotted by a British prisons officer who saw his vast potential after he won in the 800m and 1,500m in the national meet in Malacca when he was just 17. He was given a job as a prison warder and did some self-study to get through his Form 5 Senior Cambridge exams.

“I finally retired with the rank of a prison director in charge of security for all the prisons in the country,” he said.

Subramaniam said he did not let the handicap of not having a personal coach stop him from excelling, adding that he used to spend a lot of time reading books that taught athletics techniques and training methods.

His array of medals and impressive records did not come from expensive overseas training stints. Rather, it was all his grit, determination and perseverance to survive the odds and rise from poverty of the rubber estates in Puchong, Selangor.

“Today’s sportsmen have rewards awaiting them. But the happiness we brought to the nation then was priceless. Sadly, many of us who brought name and fame for our country through sports in the 60s and 70s are largely ignored now.”

His is a story that is very similar to that of many great Malaysian sportsmen who brought honour to the country with many personal sacrifices, with no monetary rewards. So many of them have been forgotten. Subramaniam should not join that list.