Singapore’s Yip Pin Xiu bagged Singapore’s first medal at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London, taking home the gold in the women’s 100m backstroke S2.
The 27-year-old finished over 20 seconds ahead of the runner-up, with a time of 2 minutes and 19.61 seconds. Canada’s Van Vyck-Smart came in second with 2 minutes 39.27 seconds while Italy’s Angela Procida clocked 2 minutes 42.71 seconds.
Said the swimmer after her win, “It feels really good to be a world champion. I’m really happy.”
“I’ve been swimming for 15 years now but victory is special to me and recognition for all the hard training I do. The journey is important to me and I’m happy to be at this point now.”
The Singapore Disability Sports Council said on their Facebook page that Yip has another event to prep for this week: the 50m backstroke, on Friday.
The athlete is a three-time paralympic medalist having won gold in the 50m backstroke and silver in the 50m freestyle at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, and gold in the 100m S2 backstroke at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. Yip set world records in all three events. She now holds the world records for the 50m backstroke S2 and the 100m backstroke S2. Last year, she won one gold and two bronze medals at the Asian Para Games.
Apart from representing the country at international sporting events, Ms Yip is also currently serving a term as a Nominated Member of Parliament last year, having been sworn in on 1 October 2018.
