Hall of Fame

“One should never be mean or cruel if one wants to live happily”

(The Late) Koh Eng Tong
“Iron Man of Malaya”

Sport: Weightlifting (Featherweight)
Year Inducted: 1994

Born frail and subjected to bullying by boys, Koh Eng Tong decided at 14 years of age to pump iron. An over-bearing brother-in-law, using a rattan cane as gentle persuasion, insisted Eng Tong also lifted weights in the backyard of his garden. Soon he was hooked on fitness and weights and started buying his own equipment to pursue the sport. He ended up as the first Malaysian to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal and became a weight-lifting legend in his own life.

When he was hardly 20, Koh Eng Tong participated in his first competition, the Federation Weight Lifting Championship in 1941, and ended up with a bronze medal. In 1948, he went to Shanghai and participated in the All China Olympic Meet and won the gold medal in the middleweight category.

Two years later, in 1950, Malaya then a British Colony entered under the Union Jack, Koh Eng Tong and 3 other weight-lifters, in the British Empire Games (now Commonwealth Games). The weight lifters had to pay their own way to compete in the Games in Auckland, New Zealand. Competing in the featherweight category, Eng Tong won the gold medal with a lift of 310.5 kg (684.5 lbs). Eng Tong was ranked in the world’s top 10.

Later that year, he was unable to compete in the World Weight Lifting Championships in Paris, as Malaysia was not affiliated to the International Federation. Singapore who was a member of the IF offered Eng Tong a place in their team but Eng Tong refused to wear any other country’s colors. With that he lost his only chance to compete in a world championship.

Eng Tong could not defend his Commonwealth Games gold at the next Games in Vancouver in 1954 due to lack of financial support. He may very well have repeated the 1950 victory as the winning lift in Vancouver was 690lbs, a mere 5 lbs more than his lift in Auckland, 4 years later.

In late 1954, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognized the Federation of Malaya Olympic Council (the forerunner to the Olympic Council of Malaysia). This enabled Malaya’s Olympic participation and Eng Tong along with 32 other athletes was selected to participate in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games – Malaysia’s first Olympic venture. Eng Tong competed in the featherweight category. He lifted 285 kg (628 lbs) and was placed 17th. Two years later, he retired but continued to be active in weightlifting as adviser to the National Association. An avid photographer, he naturally gravitated to a photography business. He opened a photo studio and a branched out successfully into retailing photography equipment. He believed that success in his business came with discipline and determination that he had picked up in his sport.

Koh Eng Tong always remained a charming personality and maintained his apparent physical fitness till the very end. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 74.

ACHIEVEMENTS (HIGHLIGHTS):

As Athlete
1941 – Federation Weightlifting Championship [Bronze Medal]

1948 – All China Olympic Meet (Shanghai - Middleweight) [Gold]

1950 – British Empire Games (Auckland – Featherweight) [Gold]

1951 – Ranked World’s Top Ten Lifter for Featherweight

1956 – National Weightlifting Championship [Crowned Champion of Champion]

1956 – Represented Malaya at Olympic Games (Melbourne – Featherweight) [17th]

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