Williamnagar, Nov 4: Taekwondo veteran and former police DySP Eugene K Marak passed away at the age of 69 years on November 2.
A recipient of U Kiang Nongbah Award in 2019, Marak was a prominent sporting personality in Garo Hills region besides being a police officer.
He brought laurels to the country by winning a gold medal at 2016 Asian Continent Taekwondo Championship held at Pokhara, Nepal.
Born on October 30, 1955 at Megam Akong, Kharkutta in North Garo Hills, Marak began his taekwondo journey in 1979 in Shillong under Grand Master Luthre Lohar’s mentorship.
Relentlessly involved with taekwondo, he became a 5th Dan Black Belt in the sport in 2007.
In his sporting career, he won seven gold medals, two silver, and one bronze in various national and international events. In 2017, the Master Coach was awarded a Commendation Certificate at National Referee Seminar in Namrup, Assam.
He will be widely remembered for his passionate involvement in providing self-defence training to countless students, many of whom went on to bring honour to Garo Hills.
In a final message from the hospital, he expressed his love for taekwondo, saying, “If I am long gone, tell all the students to wear taekwondo dress with one flower in their hands and visit my house.”