SINGAPORE – The final day of the Para Swimming World Series Australia on Sunday saw a strong push from the Singaporean team, with Paralympian Yip Pin Xiu leading the way with her second gold medal of the meet.
There were also bronze medals for fellow Paralympian Toh Wei Soong and Danielle Moi.
The 31-year-old Yip, who was born with muscular dystrophy, won the women’s 50m backstroke in 1min 3.70sec with 810 points.
She finished ahead of China’s He Shenggao (613 points), the silver medallist, and New Zealander Erin Knox (557 points).
“Considering we are at the start of the season and I just came back from an injury in November, I am rather pleased with the times,” said Yip, who has won five Paralympic golds.
Moi, who has intellectual impairment, won her first series medal by finishing third in the women’s 200m freestyle in 2:33.32 with 505 points, behind Australian Jade Lucy (668) and Hong Kong’s Chan Yui Lam (620).
That took Singapore’s final tally at the three-day competition to three golds and four bronzes at the Melbourne Sports Centre.
Toh, who has transverse myelitis which is a chronic condition that restricts the use of his legs, finished third in the 50m butterfly to add to his bronze medal in the 50m free on Saturday.
Siblings Sophie and Colin Soon, both visually impaired, also made a splash with a gold and bronze medal on Friday respectively.
Sophie topped the 50m breaststroke, while her younger brother took bronze in the men’s 50m breaststroke.
Toh, 24, said: “Coming off a great training camp in Gold Coast, there are many things I am in the process of refining right now...
“I am confident that with races further into the season, I would be able to integrate what I’ve learnt from this training camp and get better from here.”
Yip added: “All of these meets that are happening in the next 1½ years will be in preparation for the Paris Paralympics... We will continue to work really hard and improve ourselves in training, to get to our goals in Paris 2024.”
The Para Swimming World Series Australia is the opening leg of the event in nine countries in 2023, including Singapore from April 29 to May 1. The Singapore team will skip the March 9-12 stop in Italy but will compete in the Britain leg a week later.
