Sent:
Monday, July 26, 2004 3:36 AM
SUBJECT:
2nd Oldest Living Olympic
Champion
(Note: Since the death of James S. Rockefeller -
August, 2004 - Khan may now be the Oldest Living Olympian; and also
since the recent death of James Quinn -- age 98,
1928 Olympic Gold - 400 Meter Relay,
George Beard (age 98) - 1928
Gold Medalist may be the oldest living American Olympian.)
KARACHI: The world's second oldest living Olympic champion, Feroze Khan,
says discipline and accepting the challenge earned him glory in the
Amsterdam Olympics 76 years ago, warning that no athlete can win gold
without these golden rules.
In a poignant message to Olympians just weeks before the start of the games
in Athens and his 100th birthday in September, Khan evoked a golden era of
sport to urge his successors to carry on traditions he helped build.
"To be an Olympic gold medal winner is a great honor," Khan told AFP,
proudly brandishing the medal he won as member of the undivided India's
first national field hockey team. "I felt honored when the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) sent me greetings on my 99th birthday last year,"
said Khan, the father of Pakistan's former air force chief - retired Air
Chief Marshal Farooq Feroze.
The five-foot former sportsman joined his colleagues on a ship on March 10,
1928 with the team which also included India's legend Dhyan Chand and
returned with the first gold medal in the field hockey for the country.
"Discipline and accepting the challenge were the key words for me and I
think without these golden rules no athlete can win a medal in Olympics,"
Khan said.
According to the IOC, US national James S Rockefeller, born on June
8, 1902, who won a rowing gold in the 1924 Paris Olympics, is the only
living Olympic champion older than Khan (Update -
James Rockefeller passed away in August, 2004). "I have lived this long because of
discipline in my life," Khan said.
Born in the Indian city of Jullundur, Khan said he began playing hockey in
his childhood after he picked up a tree branch. "I had speed and guile
because I used to play with the branch of a tree but a bitter challenge by
school teacher Swami Jagannath spurred me to make a name in hockey," said
Khan whose wrinkled hands belie a sharp memory. "You haven't got the making
of a good player, so don't waste your time," was the challenge for a
13-year-old Khan from his teacher.
Khan says his liking for cinema taught him a lesson. "I saw a cliché running
on the screen - "to see much is to learn much" - and then for hours I would
observe style of other players and mastered the craft."
At national level, Khan faced a tie with his illustrious compatriot Dhyan
Chand and selectors included him in the Olympic squad only after Khan agreed
to play as inside right to leave the pivotal position for Chand. "Chand was
an outstanding player but media played a major role in making him the
demigod and a wizard but other players in the team were also good," Khan
added.
He said Indian officials had to borrow money to meet expenses of traveling
to Holland but the Olympic squad won riches in sporting fixtures en route to
the games, where his team won the title beating hosts Holland 3-0. "Since
field hockey was held before the rest of the Olympic events we couldn't see
much of other sports, but 1928 Olympics were dry as compared to the fanfare
we have now in the Olympics," Khan recalled.
Khan was never to repeat his success as he never played for India again
after he was not picked for the 1932 Olympics. He left India after Pakistan
was created after the partition of the subcontinent in 1947 and served here
as selector of for nine years.
Khan lamented that field hockey had lost its charm due to new innovations in
the game, but he gave his blessing to the forthcoming games. "Long live the
Olympic movement, may the best athlete win at Athens and we see the best of
competitions," he said. "Some people wanted me to go to Athens for this
year's Olympics but with weak knees I don't want to be a burden on anyone."
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