Yip Pin Xiu wins gold again

SINGAPORE – National para-swimmer Yip Pin Xiu won her second gold medal of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on Friday morning (Sept 16) when the 24-year-old won the women’s 50m backstroke S2 final at Barra’s Olympic Aquatic Stadium.

Yip, who is born with muscular dystrophy, clocked a time of 1min 0.33secs ahead of silver-medalist Feng Yazhu of China (1:02.66) and Iryna Sotska of Ukraine (1:17.22) who took bronze. Yip owns the world mark of 59.38sec.

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.

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

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.

Singapore President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam leads the congratulations with a post on his Facebook, praising Yip's resilience and tenacity.

"Pin Xiu’s sporting journey was not easy. Born with muscular dystrophy, which degenerates her muscles over time, as well as a nerve condition which impairs her eyesight, Pin Xiu has been re-classified in various sporting categories over the years – from S3 to S2 as her muscular dystrophy progressively weakened her muscles.

"Yet, she has continued to make waves in the water, winning medals for her backstroke and freestyle events since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This year in Rio, Pin Xiu once again inspires us by breaking two world records in Rio en-route to two Gold medals!

"Where others may have given up, Pin Xiu presses on, even in the face of increasing difficulties.

"Pin Xiu, your resilience and tenacity are amazing. Your hard work and dedication have paid off and you have done Singapore proud with your performance in Rio!"

Over at Bendemeer Secondary School,Yip's alma mater, about 300 students and teachers gathered at the school hall to watch a live screening of the race. Also present was Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Trade and Industry.

She said of the double Paralympic champion: "She’s done very well, I think this will inspire many young people and Singaporeans from all walks of life. We are tremendously proud of what she has achieved, we are very proud of  our para-athletes, of Team Singapore, and I think that her achievements and those of our para athletes will continue to underscore the important message of inclusiveness in our society."

At the Singapore Sports Institute, Team Singapore athletes and officials also gathered to watch the race. Raja Singh, Vice-President of Singapore Disability Sports Council, said Yip's win "means a lot to Team Singapore and to our nation".

"To Pin Xiu, I just want to say you made us proud and you did the nation proud. We’ll go on to celebrate with you in the next few days," he said. "Your winning means a lot to Team Singapore and to our nation, and you will bring disability sports to another level."