SINGAPORE - With 22 golds from seven previous Asean Para Games, Theresa Goh is Singapore's most successful - and its most bankable - star of the Games.
On Friday morning, the swimmer lived up to her reputation, delivering the Republic's first gold of the current Games on day one of the swimming meet.
Goh, 28, won the women's 100m S5 (S1-S5) final at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, in front of a beaming Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu, Team Singapore chef de mission Raja Singh and some 200 home supporters, many of whom chanted "TG" relentlessly from start to finish.
She clocked 1min 45.51sec, ahead of team-mate and fellow Paralympian Yip Pin Xiu (2:11.86). Vietnam's Danh Thi My Thanh came in third (2:18.50) in the event, which was contested by five swimmers.
Said Goh after her race: "I'm really honoured to win Singapore's first gold of the Asean Para Games. Before the race I was feeling quite hesitant, and kept turning to Pin Xiu for assurance. To win any medal would have been good, but the gold was a bonus."
It was also a good swim for Yip, who was competing three classes up. The 2008 Paralympic gold medallist, who swam backstroke in this event, clocked a time which was almost five seconds faster than the 100m backstroke world record (2:16.31).
She said: "I never expected to win a medal because I usually compete in the S2, the timing was good as well, so I'm very pleased."
Minister Fu congratulated the duo on their efforts, saying: "They did us very proud... Pin Xiu especially swimming in a class with more able-bodied swimmers.
"Now it's really for Singaporeans to come down to support (the athletes). They've worked very hard and they'd really like to show Singaporeans what they can do."
