Sidique Ali Merican
Encyclopedia
Sidique Ali Merican was a Malaysian sprint
er and sports administrator, who was Malayan sprint champion from 1949 to 1954.
Sidique was born in 1930 at Kota Bharu
, Kelantan
. Noted for his unusual starting crouch, Sidique clocked 10.3 seconds at his first 100 yard race at an athletics championship in Kota Bharu 1949. Later that year, he broke the Malayan 100 yard record with a 10.0 second time in Singapore
, holding the record until 1958, and the title of Malayan sprint champion until 1954. Sidique was educated in the United Kingdom
at the Malayan Teachers Training College in Kirkby
, Merseyside
. He also received a Diploma in Physical Education from Loughborough University
in 1955. While studying at Loughborough, Sidique took part in the Inter-Universities Athletics Championship in 1952, clocking a time of 9.8 seconds in the 100 yard dash and 22 seconds in the 200 yards.
He returned to Malaya after receiving his diploma, and began teaching at Sultan Ismail College in Kota Bharu. Sidique briefly returned to sport as a part of the coaching team for the Malaysian athletics squad at the 1960 Summer Olympics
in Rome
. In 1960 he was made principal of Kuala Krai Primary School, and schools development officer for Kelantan in 1962. In 1972, he was appointed assistant sports director at the Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry, and was promoted to director-general in 1981, before retiring in 1985. From 1974 to 1986, he was honorary secretary of the Olympic Council of Malaysia
, and was admitted to the OCM's Hall of Fame in 2002. As a sports administrator, he was the organising secretary of the 1977 Southeast Asian Games
in Kuala Lumpur
. He acted as deputy chef de mission for the Malaysian team at the 1978 Commonwealth Games
in Edmonton
and the 1982 Asian Games
in Delhi
, and chef de mission at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles
.
Sidique died on 12 May 2009, aged 78, after suffering a stroke
at his home in Petaling Jaya
.
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
er and sports administrator, who was Malayan sprint champion from 1949 to 1954.
Sidique was born in 1930 at Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
, Kelantan
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
. Noted for his unusual starting crouch, Sidique clocked 10.3 seconds at his first 100 yard race at an athletics championship in Kota Bharu 1949. Later that year, he broke the Malayan 100 yard record with a 10.0 second time in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, holding the record until 1958, and the title of Malayan sprint champion until 1954. Sidique was educated in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at the Malayan Teachers Training College in Kirkby
Kirkby
Kirkby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The town was developed from the 1950s through 1970s as a means to house the overspill of Liverpool. It is situated roughly north of Huyton, the administrative HQ of the borough and about...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
. He also received a Diploma in Physical Education from Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
in 1955. While studying at Loughborough, Sidique took part in the Inter-Universities Athletics Championship in 1952, clocking a time of 9.8 seconds in the 100 yard dash and 22 seconds in the 200 yards.
He returned to Malaya after receiving his diploma, and began teaching at Sultan Ismail College in Kota Bharu. Sidique briefly returned to sport as a part of the coaching team for the Malaysian athletics squad at the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In 1960 he was made principal of Kuala Krai Primary School, and schools development officer for Kelantan in 1962. In 1972, he was appointed assistant sports director at the Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry, and was promoted to director-general in 1981, before retiring in 1985. From 1974 to 1986, he was honorary secretary of the Olympic Council of Malaysia
Olympic Council of Malaysia
Olympic Council of Malaysia is the National Olympic Committee representing Malaysia.- External links :**...
, and was admitted to the OCM's Hall of Fame in 2002. As a sports administrator, he was the organising secretary of the 1977 Southeast Asian Games
1977 Southeast Asian Games
The 9th Southeast Asian Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 19 November - 26 November 1977. Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines were finally admitted into the SEAP Games Federation in February that year...
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. He acted as deputy chef de mission for the Malaysian team at the 1978 Commonwealth Games
1978 Commonwealth Games
The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec...
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and the 1982 Asian Games
1982 Asian Games
The 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:...
in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, and chef de mission at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Sidique died on 12 May 2009, aged 78, after suffering a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at his home in Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya is a Malaysian city originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district of Selangor with an area of approximately 97.2 km². On 20 June 2006, Petaling Jaya was granted a...
.