PETALING JAYA: The city of Cardiff, Wales gave a heart-warming farewell to former Commonwealth Games gold medallist weightlifter Chung Kum Weng, who recently died aged 90.
He made his final journey through the streets of Cardiff, with his dog Lucy in front of the cortege, while local folk applauded as it progressed.
The sporting hero settled in Wales while still active in the sport.
Kum Weng was born in Ipoh on May 15, 1934, and quickly formed a reputation as a talented featherweight weightlifter in Malaysia.
Representing Malaysia, he made his Commonwealth Games debut in 1958 and won a silver medal, lifting 306kg in total.
The Games were held in Cardiff – which left a huge impact on Kum Weng's life.
He formed such a strong connection to Wales that he decided to settle there, finding a job as a bus driver to fund his training.
Sadly, he was forced to miss the 1962 Commonwealth Games but continued to compete internationally for Malaysia, competing at the 1960 and 1964 Olympic Games where he finished in 10th and 11th place respectively.
When he became eligible to represent Wales, he made up for lost time by winning gold at the 1966 Commonwealth Games, lifting 337kg. He later competed for Britain in the World Championships and finished seventh in 1970, lifting an all-time career high of 340kg.
