Triple Olympic gold medalist Balbir Singh Sr passes away at 95

Triple Olympic gold medalist and hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr took his last breath in Chandigarh on Monday after being in a semi-comatose state since May 18 with multiple health issues for over two weeks. Balbir Singh leaves behind a rich legacy that cuts across all sport and physical boundaries. The 95-year-old is survived by his daughter Sushbir and three sons Kanwalbir, Karanbir, Gurbir. Balbir Sr had developed a blood clot in his brain after being first admitted to the hospital for bronchial pneumonia with a high fever.

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Balbir Singh's achievements

One of the country's greatest athletes, Balbir Sr was the only Indian among 16 legends chosen by the International Olympic Committee across modern Olympic history. His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men's hockey final of the Olympics still remains unbeaten..

Balbir Singh Sr., as he was known, won a hat-trick Olympic Games gold medals with the Indian team in London in 1948, Helsinki in 1952 and Melbourne in1956. As vice-captain of the team in 1952, he scored a hat-trick against Britain in the semifinals and five of India’s goals in its 6-1 win against Holland in the final. It is the record for the most goals in an Olympic Games hockey final.

His abiding love for the game saw him in various coaching roles with the Indian team from 1971 when it won the bronze medal in the World Cup through to 1975 when it won the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur and the Asian Games silver in New Delhi in 1982.

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