"This was in the '80s and HE would always come to the starting point of the Newton ride first, and by the time most of us arrived he would have finished his 'halia "O"' (ginger tea).

"He didn't talk very much 'cos he was "THE MAN" to beat in those days; and we were in cold sweat everytime he stood up at 5.30 p.m. because it meant we were setting off!!!

"He was the 'patron' as the French would call it, the guy who controls the peloton. No one dared to go too fast or too slow 'cos whenever he wanted to he would and could drop us, like durians falling off trees when they are ripe?!!!

"By the time we reached Thomson Plaza we would be doing something like 45km/h, and poor kids like us (hey, we were only 17 then!) with our tongues hanging out would be trying our best to keep up!

"He would be 'poker-faced' showing no signs of anything or tiredness, and all this while staying at the front of the peloton and doing his 'turn'... as he would always do.

":By the time the group reached the 'Mandai climb' he would have broken away with the rest of the 'SHIMANO hit squad'. As usual, we kids would be left behind wondering how we were ever going to reach HIS level of strength and endurance. Like I said, HE was The Man to beat. He already had won three SEA Games medals by that time, and HE was my idol and later my inspiration at Shimano yeas afterward.

"After we returned to Newton food center, HE would have finished his first glass of 'halia "O"' and would be ordering his second one. He would always ask me the same question, 'so how, today?' in broken English.

"Already dying of thirst and tired beyond all strength to answer him, I would just go to my corner with my 'lepak' (tired, in Malay) riders and talk about.... who else - HIM!!!

"HE was fast and strong and I had once seen him in a race in Penang going away from the front and winning it by staying away from the entire field for 30 laps... now that is class!

"Years later, I went to one of my seven SEA Games with him. After that year, he retired and I was a little sad to see such a good rider quit for all the wrong reasons which I will not dwell on.

"These days, HE works the wrench for a local chain of bicycle stores and passes his time working on his motocycle. Once in a while, he will still train with us. HE is thicker around the waist now; not like his racing weight but I cannot help but wonder, 'HE was flying then and HE was my hero!!!'"

 

~ the end ~