PETALING JAYA: Former national race walker G. Saravanan, who once brought pride to the country by winning gold at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, is now battling a chronic illness that has left him bedridden in hospital.
The 55-year-old is currently bedridden in hospital with motor neurone disease (MND), the same condition that afflicted the late football icon Mokhtar Dahari, fondly known as Super Mokh.
The progressive disease has not only weakened his body but also robbed him of his ability to speak clearly. He now struggles to eat and communicate.
At the height of his career, Saravanan carved a name for himself on the international stage. He clinched a bronze medal at the 1995 Asian Championships in Jakarta. Two years later, he struck gold at the SEA Games held at the same venue.
His proudest moment came at the 1998 Commonwealth Games on home soil, where he captured the gold medal in the 50km walk.
It was the first time the event was contested at the Games, and his winning time of 4 hours 10.05 seconds still stands as the national record 26 years later.
