SINGAPORE - Does swimming star Joseph Schooling have a new girlfriend?

According to social media posts, Malaysian former national swimmer Christina Loh, 23, may be his new love interest.

She posted a photo with Schooling, 23, on Instagram on Nov 19, with the caption: "This gem is extra special... So glad being able to watch you race again. #ProudPanda #FishyandPandaReunited".

Schooling responded with three heart emojis on her Instagram post.

Loh also posted a selfie of them on June 16, Schooling's birthday. She has made her Instagram account private since Saturday (Dec 1).

Schooling was back in town last month for the local leg of the Fina Swimming World Cup, where he won a bronze in the short-course 50m butterfly and a silver in the 4x50m mixed medley relay.

Loh graduated from Florida State University this year and is currently based in Kuala Lumpur, her social media profiles say.

The breaststroke specialist won two gold medals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events at the 2013 South-east Asian Games in Myanmar, but left the Malaysian national team in 2015 to pursue her studies in the US.

Several women have been linked with the University of Texas (UT) at Austin star in the past, but Schooling has not publicly acknowledged any of these rumours.

The 23-year-old is currently completing his undergraduate studies at UT.

In January this year, Schooling posted a photo of his family celebrating the new year with fellow UT student Mikaela Martinez in the United States.

When asked if Martinez was Schooling's girlfriend, a source close to the Schooling camp said that she is his "friend".

In 2016, his mother said that he has "many female friends", in response to speculation over his love life.