Wikipedia

Yip Pin Xiu

Yip Pin Xiu[a]PJGPLY(born 10 January 1992) is a Singaporeanbackstrokeswimmer.[1][2]She is a six-time Paralympic gold medalist and four-time World Champion, with twoworld recordsin the 50 m backstroke S2 and the 100 m backstroke S2. Yip is Singapore's most decorated Paralympian and Southeast Asia's most decorated swimming Paralympian.

Yip Pin Xiu
PJGPLY
Yip as the flag bearer for Singapore at the2016 Summer Paralympics Parade of Nations
Personal information
Full nameYip Pin Xiu
NationalitySingapore
Born(1992-01-10)10 January 1992(age 32)
Singapore
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBackstroke
Freestyle
ClassificationsS2
CoachMark Chay
Medal record
Swimming
RepresentingSingapore
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Paralympics 7 1 0
World Championships 4 2 0
Asian Para Games 1 0 2
Total 12 3 2
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 50 m backstroke S3
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio 50 m backstroke S2
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio 100 m backstroke S2
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo 50 m backstroke S2
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo 100 m backstroke S2
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris 50 m backstroke S2
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris 100 m backstroke S2
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing 50 m freestyle S3
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Eindhoven 50 m freestyle S3
Gold medal – first place 2022 Madeira 100 m backstroke S2
Gold medal – first place 2022 Madeira 50 m backstroke S2
Gold medal – first place 2023 Manchester 50 m backstroke S2
Silver medal – second place 2010 Eindhoven 50 m backstroke S3
Silver medal – second place 2013 Montreal 50 m backstroke S3
Asian Para Games
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jakarta 50 m backstroke S4
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta 50 m freestyle S4
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta 100 m freestyle S4
In thisChinese name,thefamily nameisYip.

She hasCharcot-Marie-Tooth syndromeand competes in theS2 categoryfor the physically impaired. Since 2005, she has won medals in international competitions such as theWorld Wheelchair and Amputee Games,Japan Paralympic Swimming Championships and International German Paralympic Swimming Championships. At the2008 Summer Paralympics,she won a gold medal in the 50 metres backstroke and a silver medal in the 50 metresfreestyle,settingworld recordsin both events. At the2016 Summer Paralympics,she won a gold medal in the 100 metres S2 backstroke, setting a world record for that event, and another for her 50 m split. She successfully retained her gold medals for these two events in2020and2024in a historicthree-peat.[3]

In 2009, she was named "Young Woman Achiever of the Year" by local magazineHer World.[4]In honour of her feats at the Paralympic Games, she was conferred thePingat Jasa Gemilang(Meritorious Service Medal) during the National Day Awards ceremony in 2016. More recently, Yip was crowned Sportswoman of the Year (swimming) at the Singapore Disability Sports Awards 2022. This was her third time earning this honour, having won the same award in 2019 and 2021.[5]Her achievements have contributed to the widespread recognition of disabled athletes in the Singaporean public sphere.

Early life and education

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Yip Pin Xiu was born in Singapore on 10 January 1992, being the youngest of three children in her family.[6]

At birth, Yip hadCharcot–Marie–Tooth diseasebut her symptoms only appeared when she was two years old. Due to her aunt witnessing her unable to extend and rotate her ankles, her family brought her to a doctor and was initially diagnosed asmuscular dystrophy.[7]When Yip was five, she started swimming to improve her health and strengthen her muscles;[6]nevertheless, by the age of thirteen, she had lost her ability to walk and had to use a wheelchair.[8][9]

As a student, Yip first studied inAi Tong Primary SchoolatBishanand Bendemeer Secondary School,[6]before she graduated fromRepublic PolytechnicinWoodlandsas back-up valedictorian and, as of 2017, Yip graduated fromSingapore Management UniversityinBras Basahwith aBachelor of Social Science.[10]

Swimming career

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Early years

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Yip started swimming competitively when she was twelve years old.[8]After losing her ability to kick, Yip switched from thefront crawlto thebackstrokeand was reclassified from the S5 to the S2 category (lower numbers indicate more severe disabilities).[9]Her previous coach was former Singaporean Olympic swimmerAng Peng Siong,[9]while fellow Paralympic swimmerTheresa Gohis her close friend and role model.[8]Besides swimming, Yip has participated in events to raise awareness of disabled sports, such as the Interschool Swimming Meets and Sengkang Primary School Track and Field Meet 2007.[7]

After successes in national championships, Yip participated in the Asia Paralympics Swimming Championship 2005, winning two gold medals.[7]Her first international competition was the World Wheelchair and Amputee Games 2005, where she won two gold medals and a bronze.[7]She then received four gold medals at the DSE Long Course Swimming Championships in 2006.[7]In 2007, she won three gold medals at the Japan Paralympic Swimming Championships and four gold medals at the World Wheelchair and Amputee Games.[7]

2008 Asian Paralympics

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At the 4thASEAN Para Games,Yip finished first in the women's 150 metres individualmedley,clocking 4 minutes 56.34 seconds.[11]She set a world record time of 1 minute 00.80 seconds in the 50 metres backstroke at the US Paralympic swimming trials.[8]The 22nd International German Paralympic Swimming Championships saw her set a world record of 2 minutes 10.09 seconds in the 100 metres backstroke heats; in the finals, she was awarded the gold medal with a time of 2 minutes 08.09 seconds, bettering her own world record.[11]

2008 Summer Paralympics

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Yip with fellow Singaporean Paralympians after the 2008 games

Yip started her 2008 SummerParalympic Gamescampaign by breaking another world record, clocking 57.04 seconds in the women's 50 metres freestyle heats.[6]However, she was narrowly beaten by Mexican swimmerPatricia Vallein the finals, clinching a silver medal with a time of 57.43 seconds.[6]In the women's 50 metres backstroke heats, she posted a time of 57.92 seconds, taking two seconds off her own world record.[12]She then swam the women's 50 metres backstroke finals in a time of 58.75 seconds to win the gold medal.[12]After she returned to Singapore, the president conferred Yip a state medal, the Meritorious Service Medal.[13]

The success of Yip andLaurentia Tan,who won two bronze medals inequestrianevents,[12][13]sparked public debate about the treatment and recognition of disabled athletes in Singapore.[14]Letters toThe Straits Timescriticised the poor coverage of the Paralympics.[14]Many Singaporeans also commented about the disparity of the cash awards handed out by the government:[14]In 2008, it wasS$1,000,000 for an Olympic gold and S$100,000 for a Paralympic gold.[15][16]When the issues were raised in Parliament, MCYSparliamentary secretaryTeo Ser Luckpromised to study plans to give disabled athletes greater support and to include them in sporting programmes such as Project 0812, a training programme for top Singaporean sportspeople.[16]Two months later, the cash rewards for Paralympic medals were doubled to S$200,000 and funding for the Singapore National Paralympic Council (SNPC) was increased.[15]

2015 Asian Paralympics

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At the8th ASEAN Para Gamesin 2015, she was the torch lighter with Tay Wei Ming and Gan Kai Hong Aloysius.[17]

2016 Summer Paralympics

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Yip participated in the2016 Summer Paralympics.On 10 September 2016, Yip swam in the finals of the 100 m backstroke, S2 class; her time of 2:07.09 was a new S2 world record, earning her a Paralympic gold medal. Her 59.38 split for the first 50 m of the race was also a new S2 world record; in both cases she overwrote her own world leading times. Her medal was Singapore's first at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.[18]On 16 September, Yip won her (and Singapore's) second gold medal of the 2016 Games, this time in the 50 m backstroke finals, S2 class with a time of 1:00.33.[19]

2018 Asian Paralympics

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Yip also participated in the2018 Asian Para Games,and won one gold medal and two bronze medals in total. On 8 October, she won her first gold medal for the 50 m backstroke,[20]S1-4 class, and on 9 October, her first bronze medal for the 100 m freestyle, S1-4 class event. On 12 October, she won her second bronze medal on the 50 m freestyle, S1-4 class event with a time of 1:04.68, behind Peng Qiuping of China and Gabidullina Zulfiya of Kazakhstan, with times of 43.48s and 45.51s, respectively.[21]

2020 Summer Paralympics

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Yip participated in the2020 Tokyo Paralympics.She won two gold medals, the women's 100m backstroke S2[22]and the women's 50m backstroke S2.[23]She subsequently received S$400,000 by the SNPC; S$200,000 for each gold medal. Her cash incentives was doubled to S$800,000 after she was sponsored by Singapore'sDBS Bankand the Tote Board.[24]

2023 Para Swimming World Series

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During the Para Swimming World Series Australia 2023, Yip clinched the gold medal in the Women's 100m backstroke multi-class event. She later also bagged her second gold medal in the Women's 50m backstroke on the final day of the competition.[25]

2024 Summer Paralympics

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In 2022, the SNPC announced that the cash reward for a gold medal in the2024 Paris Paralympicswill be further increased to S$500,000.[26]Yip participated in the Games and achieved a historic three-peat by winning the gold medal once more in the women's 100m backstroke S2 event.[27][3]

Political career

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On 17 September 2018, Yip became aNominated Member of Parliament(NMP) to the Singapore Parliament.[28]She was sworn into Parliament on 1 October 2018. Her term lasted approximately two years, serving until 23 June 2020.[29]

Post swimming career

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Yip is currently serving on the Athlete Committee of theWorld Anti-Doping Agencyas of 1 January 2022.[30]

Personal life

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In February 2022, Yip was awarded the President's Award for Inspiring Achievement in recognition of her contributions to sports and community work.[31]

Her coach is ex-OlympianMark Chay.[32]

Honours

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Chinese:Diệp phẩm tú;pinyin:Yè Pǐnxìu

References

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  1. ^"Athlete Biography Yip Pin Xiu".The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. Archived fromthe originalon 13 November 2008.
  2. ^"YIP Pin Xiu – Biography".paralympic.org.Archivedfrom the original on 1 February 2014.Retrieved16 August2013.
  3. ^abMohan, Matthew (30 August 2024)."'It's been phenomenal': Singapore's Yip Pin Xiu reflects on Paralympics gold, historic three-peat ".CNA.Retrieved31 August2024.
  4. ^"Her World Woman of the Year 2008".SPH.6 March 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 16 August 2016.Retrieved29 December2015.
  5. ^Auto, Hermes (6 July 2022)."Para-sports: Swimmers Yip Pin Xiu, Toh Wei Soong claim top honours at S'pore Disability Sports Awards | The Straits Times".straitstimes.Retrieved28 February2023.
  6. ^abcdeMindy Tan, "She misses gold with a strokeArchived6 December 2008 at theWayback Machine",The New Paper,15 September 2008.
  7. ^abcdefProfile – Yip Pin Xiu,McDonald'sSingapore, retrieved 18 December 2008.Archived6 August 2009 at theWayback Machine
  8. ^abcd"The wonder of Pin Xiu",TODAY,7 June 2008.
  9. ^abcSim Chi Yin, "I like the way I am now",The Straits Times,17 September 2008.
  10. ^"Swimming: Graduate Yip can now train full time".The Straits Times.15 July 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 14 October 2018.Retrieved12 October2018.
  11. ^abWang Meng Meng, "Yip smashes two world records for the disabled",The Straits Times,28 May 2008.
  12. ^abc"Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu is Singapore's golden girl", Channel NewsAsia, 16 September 2008.
  13. ^ab"Paralympian wonder girls".asiaone.Retrieved9 November2022.
  14. ^abcJeremy Auyong, "Unequal rewards can be made fairer",The Straits Times,19 September 2008.
  15. ^abJeanette Wang, "More for medalistsArchived2 December 2009 at theWayback Machine",The Straits Times,22 November 2008.
  16. ^abTan Yo-Hinn, "Paralympic hopefuls in line for more supportArchived28 September 2008 at theWayback Machine",TODAY,17 September 2008.
  17. ^"Grit, determination take spotlight as Para Games kick off".Today.4 December 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 14 October 2018.Retrieved14 October2018.
  18. ^"Yip Pin Xiu sets two world records in gold-medal swim at Paralympics".Today.10 September 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2016.Retrieved10 September2016.
  19. ^"Paralympics: Yip Pin Xiu clinches Singapore's 2nd gold medal".Channel News Asia.Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2016.Retrieved16 September2016.
  20. ^"Yip Pin Xiu clinches Singapore's second swimming gold at 2018 Asian Para Games".Channel NewsAsia.8 October 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 14 October 2018.Retrieved14 October2018.
  21. ^"Swimming: Yip Pin Xiu wins bronze in women's 50m freestyle S4 for third Asian Para Games medal".The Straits Times.12 October 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 12 October 2018.Retrieved12 October2018.
  22. ^"Paralympics: Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu wins 100m backstroke (S2) for S'pore's first gold in Tokyo".The Straits Times.25 August 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 25 August 2021.Retrieved25 August2021.
  23. ^"Tokyo Paralympics: Yip Pin Xiu wins gold in women's 50m backstroke S2 event".Channel NewsAsia.2 September 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 2 September 2021.Retrieved2 September2021.
  24. ^Leo, Lakeisha (16 October 2021)."Para-athletes cash incentive scheme doubled, Yip Pin Xiu gets S$800,000 for two gold medals at Tokyo Paralympics".CNA.Retrieved31 August2024.
  25. ^cue (19 February 2023)."Swimming: S'pore finish Para World Series Australia with three golds, four bronzes | The Straits Times".straitstimes.Retrieved28 February2023.
  26. ^Cheng, Ian (2 July 2022)."Para-athletes to receive higher cash rewards for medal wins at major Games".CNA.Retrieved31 August2024.
  27. ^Mohan, Matthew (30 August 2024)."Paris Paralympics: Singapore's Yip Pin Xiu wins gold in 100m backstroke S2 event".CNA.Retrieved31 August2024.
  28. ^Yahya, Yasmine (17 September 2018)."9 new Nominated MPs chosen to join Parliament".The Straits Times.Archivedfrom the original on 26 May 2019.Retrieved19 September2018.
  29. ^"Parliament: New Nominated MPs sworn in, attend first Parliament sitting".The Straits Times.1 October 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 14 July 2020.Retrieved12 October2018.
  30. ^"5 minutes with... Pin Xiu Yip".World Anti Doping Agency.16 May 2022.Retrieved31 August2024.
  31. ^Begum, Yasmin (11 February 2022)."Yip Pin Xiu receives inaugural President's Award for Inspiring Achievement".CNA.Retrieved28 February2022.
  32. ^Chia, Nicole (15 September 2019)."Swimming: Yip Pin Xiu celebrates two world titles by having dinner at Shake Shack, Sport News & Top Stories – The Straits Times".The Straits Times.Archivedfrom the original on 10 April 2020.Retrieved28 April2020.
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