Former national sprinter and Olympian Kesavan Soon blowing out the candles on his birthday cake, accompanied by his wife June (right) and daughter Paula, while celebrating his 80th birthday at the M Hotel yesterday. Among the 200 guests present included his son Andrew and daughter-in-law Tricia, former national sprinters and Singapore Athletics (SA) president Tang Weng Fei. Soon, who is also vice-patron and a former vice-president (training and selection) of SA, specialised in the 100m and 200m events in his prime. The Victoria School alumnus became the first schoolboy to win a Malayan competition when he was 17. He also completed the double. The retired army lieutenant colonel also represented Singapore in both events at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.