Alu Mendonca

Indian-born Alu Mendonca’s family moved to Kenya in his youth, where his talent for field hockey was quickly realized. His international career began at the age of 15, as a schoolboy, and lasted over two decades. During that time he participated in four editions of the Summer Olympics – 1956, 1960, 1964, and 1968 – as a member of the Kenyan national squad, with a best result of sixth in 1964. He captained the team in 1960. Domestically he played for the Railway Goan Institute and, with them, won the premier M.R. de Souza Gold Cup three times in 1958, 1967, and 1969.

Following his retirement from active competition, Mendonca took up coaching and was an assistant for the Kenyan national team at the 1971 World Championships, where the nation finished just off the podium in fourth. He then served as an assistant coach for the squad at the 1972 Summer Olympics and was promoted to head coach for the 1976 edition, which Kenya boycotted ultimately. Outside of hockey, he was also active in track and field athletics and cricket.