A former Commonwealth Games weightlifting champion was found dead inside his cluttered home after years of struggling with hoarding, an inquest has heard.
Kum Weng Chung, also known as Chung Kum Weng, was discovered by police at his home in Cardiff, Wales, in February last year after a concerned neighbor asked authorities to check on him.
The 90-year-old had once been a celebrated athlete, winning gold for Malaysia at the 1966 Commonwealth Games after lifting 337kg in the featherweight category.
But decades after his glory days, Chung was living alone in Wales with his dog, Lucy, surrounded by piles of clothing, DVDs and books.
Originally from Malaysia, Chung first formed a connection with Wales when he competed at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, where he won a silver medal. He later represented Malaysia at the 1960 and 1964 Olympic Games, finishing 10th and 11th.
Chung eventually moved to Cardiff, where he worked in a restaurant before becoming a bus driver. He never married and had no children.
At an inquest at Pontypridd Coroner’s Court, Chung’s niece, Lai Sim Mayes, described him as private and said he rarely opened up to his family.
“He was quite secretive about his personal life and did not disclose much to his family,” she said in a pen portrait read to the court.
She said Chung became depressed after the death of his mother and later developed gambling problems that left him in serious debt.
“He gambled to the point that he maxed out his cards, and ended up in so much debt that he had to sell his house,” she said.
The court heard that a friend later bought the property and allowed Chung to continue living there rent-free. But his mental health struggles continued, and his hoarding worsened.
When officers entered the home, they found Chung’s body near a makeshift bed in the living room. He was partly obscured by piles of belongings.
Area coroner Patricia Morgan said Chung died from positional asphyxia after apparently falling into a gap between furniture and being unable to free himself.
“Mr Chung was known to hoard possessions, and as a result, his home became cluttered,” Morgan said.
She added that the position in which he was found suggested he had “suffered a fall into a gap between the furniture and had been unable to extricate himself.”
The coroner ruled there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
British Weight Lifting paid tribute to Chung after his passing, saying it was saddened to learn of the death of the 1966 Commonwealth Games gold medalist.
“BWL extends its sincere condolences to the family of Chung Kum Weng, as well as to Weightlifting Wales, Commonwealth Games Wales, National Olympic Committee of Malaysia and the Malaysian Weightlifting Federation,” the organization said.
Chung’s death marked a heartbreaking final chapter for a man who once stood proudly on the international stage, only to spend his final years largely alone.