Kannur: Kerala's first Olympic medalist Manuel Frederick passed away while under treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Friday. He was 78. He was the goalkeeper when India won the bronze medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics, defeating the Netherlands.

He was also the Indian goalkeeper at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.

A native of Banassery in Kannur, he was awarded the Dhyanchand Award in 2019 for his contribution to sports. He holds the record for successfully defending in tie-breaks in 16 National Championships.

During his school days, he began his active sporting career as a football striker at BEM School, Kannur. He then transitioned to a goalie in hockey when he moved to St. Michael's School. At only 17, he played in the Bombay Gold Cup, a tournament organised by the Mumbai Hockey Association (MHA). Soon, he gained entry into the national side, and in 1971, Manual played his first international match. He is survived by his children, Freshina Pravin and Fenila Tinu Thomas.

ADVERTISEMENT

TAGS

Google News Add as a preferred source on Google
The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.