The Gan Express
The Gan Express
February 25, 2010
Section: Sport
KAHLIA BEICHERT
kbeichert@northernleader.com.au
Ignatius Gan is one of the most successful Wollongong athletes but you probably haven’t heard of him.
The 70-year-old Mount Pleasant resident is the over-65s Australian badminton champion, and has won gold at every Australian Masters Games that he’s entered since 1999 except one.
Mr Gan began playing badminton as a six-year-old in Malaysia and the game has slowly taken hold of his family, starting with his brother and then his sons.
His first major win was the University Blue at the University of NSW in 1963 and he continued his success up to his bronze medal in the 2009 World Masters Games.
Mr Gan still plays competitively, is a coach at the University of Wollongong and is the vice-president of the Illawarra Badminton Association.
Mr Gan said he still had what it takes to be a champ.
“Even when I’m 70 they still want to play with me so I can’t be too bad,” he said.
Mr Gan said he rejoiced when his students improved but was saddened that badminton didn’t enjoy greater popularity.
“When I started, there were three clubs in the Illawarra, now there’s only one,” he said.
Mr Gan’s body has also suffered from the sport – an injury in 2005 leaving him partially blind in one eye.
“At the 2005 Australian Masters my mixed partner hit my left eye with her racquet – it damaged by retina but I was back two years later,” he said.
“I’ll keep going till I drop,” he said.
Comment count: 1
You r so great Iggy. My super coach.