FUNCHAL, PORTUGAL - Singapore para-swimmer Yip Pin Xiu obliterated the 100m backstroke (S2) world record at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming European Open Championships in Funchal, Portugal, on Wednesday.
The 2008 Beijing Paralympics gold medallist clocked 2min 9.79sec to clinch gold. Her time was nearly seven seconds under the previous world record of 2:16.31 set by Ukraine's Ganna Ielisavetska in 2014.
The 24-year-old, who was chosen as The Straits Times Athlete of the Year in February, told the IPC Swimming website: "I am happy with my timing, and I think I am making good progress towards the Rio (Paralympics) and I'm very excited about Rio."
Ukraine's Irina Sotska was second (2:16.63) while Norway's Ingrid Thunem came in third (2:25.71) in the race.
Yip also improved on the 50m backstroke (S2) world mark during her race, clocking 1:01.39 at the turn to break her own mark of 1:01.61 set at the Asean Para Games last December.
She also set a new Asian record in the 100m freestyle (S2-S3) final, clocking 2:15.68 to break the old mark of 2:17.15 set by China's Feng Yazhu in Sochi, Russia, last year. Her 50m time of 1:03.82 was also better than Feng's Asian record of 1:05.47.
Team-mate Theresa Goh also enjoyed a good day out, setting a new Asian record in the 100m breaststroke (SB4) with a time of 1:59.90. It was under her previous mark of 2:00.86 set in 2008.
