Singapore Paralympic hall of famer Yip Pin Xiu has set a new championship record at the Madeira 2022 Para Swimming World Championships, successfully defending her title
Game face on for Yip Pin Xiu in the pool ahead of her championship race. PHOTO: PEDRO VASCONCELOS, MADEIRA 2022 LOC
Singapore, 15 June 2022 – Five-time Paralympic gold medallist Yip Pin Xiu has successfully defended her world championship title at the Madeira 2022 Para Swimming World Championships, winning gold in the Women's 100m Backstroke S2 with a time of 2:15.16.
Yip has set a new Championship Record, managing to better her time (2:18.61) achieved in the same event at the 2019 World Para Swimming Allianz Championships and at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (2:16.61).
"The gold medal means a lot to me, to be able to be reigning world champion after three years. It’s an amazing feeling and I’m extremely grateful for my coach, the strength and conditioning training, physiology support that Sport Singapore has given me."
Yip Pin Xiu successfully defended her Women’s 100m Backstroke S2 title with a time of 2:15.16. PHOTO: PEDRO VASCONCELOS, MADEIRA 2022 LOC
"I think what we aim to do is to try to be as consistent with my performance as I can, be it physically, mentally. The past two years have been really tough with COVID-19 and a lack of competition and training camps. This year feels a bit more normal," Yip shared.
She added: "I am definitely trying to get the consistency back and race as well as I can. It’s going to take time but that’s the goal – to be able to achieve consistently. For the next two and a half years, I hope to improve my times to perform well at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games."
“There was pressure going into this meet because it’s a world title, so definitely the team and myself were trying to do our very best to achieve this world title again. It’s important to me – it’s never easy to always be on top of the game."
Yip Pin Xiu poolside after her race at the Madeira 2022 Para Swimming World Championships. PHOTO: PEDRO VASCONCELOS, MADEIRA 2022 LOC
"This time it’s really a relief. What’s encouraging to me is this championship record. I am faster than I was three years ago, so it’s really good to be able to break the championship record and I’m excited for the next two events moving forward as well,” she continued.
This is Yip’s fourth gold medal achieved at the world championships. At the 2019 World Para Swimming Allianz Championships, she won the Women's 100m Backstroke S2 and the 50m Backstroke S2 events. Yip’s first-ever world title was won at the 2010 world championships (then known as the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships) when she clinched gold in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S3.
This is Singapore's first gold at the Madeira 2022 Para Swimming World Championships. Singapore is represented by four swimmers, Colin Soon Jin Guang, Sophie Soon Jin Wen, Wong Zhi Wei and Yip Pin Xiu. Collectively, the quartet will race in 11 events.
Yip Pin Xiu getting ready for her race at the Madeira 2022 Para Swimming World Championships. PHOTO: PEDRO VASCONCELOS, MADEIRA 2022 LOC
Team Singapore is back in action tomorrow, 16 June, with Colin Soon (Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB12), Sophie Soon (Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB12) and Yip Pin Xiu (Women's 50m Freestyle S3) taking to the pool.
The Madeira 2022 Para Swimming World Championships runs from 12-18 June 2022.