Thank you Singapore for supporting us: Yip Pin Xiu

SINGAPORE – At Barra’s Olympic Aquatic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro this morning (Sept 16), hugs flowed as freely as tears. National para-swimmer Yip Pin Xiu was an emotional wreck after her historic triumph at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Usually so eloquent, Singapore’s double Paralympic gold medalist struggled to find words to describe her feat.

“I’m speechless. I don’t think any word can describe my emotions now because there are so many emotions going on,” said the 24-year-old, who won the women’s 50m backstroke S2 event in a time of 1min 0.33sec to win Singapore’s second gold medal at the Games.

“I’m so happy about the races and I’m so grateful for the team.

“I’m so grateful for Singaporeans supporting us. Thank you. The support (the nation) have shown us in the past week has been enormous. I think this support (for para-athletes) has been massive and we’re so grateful for it. Hopefully this (support) will continue.”

Yip, who is born with muscular dystrophy, finished the race more than two seconds ahead of silver-medalist Feng Yazhu of China (1:02.66). Iryna Sotska of Ukraine (1:17.22) took bronze.

With this morning’s victory, the Singapore Management University undergraduate becomes the only Singaporean to win multiple golds at a Games.

The Singaporean had won her first gold medal of the Rio Games last week in the women’s 100m backstroke S2 event, in a world-record time of 2min 7.09sec.

It takes her all-time Paralympic gold medal haul to three. Yip had won her first ever Paralympic gold in the 50m backstroke S3 event at the 2008 Beijing Games.

This is Singapore's best showing ever in the Paralympic Games - with two gold medals and a bronze so far.

Swimmer Theresa Goh, 29, took bronze for the women’s SB4 100m breaststroke final on Monday.