SINGAPORE - Yip Pin Xiu ended her 2022 World Para Swimming Championships campaign on a high as she retained her women's 50m backstroke S2 title in Madeira, Portugal, on Friday (June 17).

This was the five-gold Paralympian's second title at these world championships, following the successful defence of her women's 100m backstroke S2 gold at the Penteada Olympic Swimming Complex on Tuesday.

She said: "I am pleased with my times, but at the same time, every competition is really like a checkpoint for me, where I know what I need to work on. I’m so excited to get my team together to continue improving and this year is going to be an exciting year with the Asean Para Games and an Australian meet coming on.

"There’s a lot to look forward to for the team and myself. I’m really happy and grateful for all the support I’ve received. The journey has been really tough but every day I find things I am grateful for and try to do better."

On Friday, the 30-year-old touched home in 1min 03.94sec, finishing ahead of Italy's Angela Procida (1:11.42) and Mexican Fabiola Ramirez Martinez (1:12.39) to clinch her fifth world title and Singapore's third medal at this meet.

Apart from Yip's two golds, Sophie Soon bagged a silver in the women's 100m breaststroke SB12 on Wednesday.

Singapore Disability Sports Council executive director Kelly Fan said: “All of the swimmers have achieved something they can be proud of, whether it is a breakthrough in performance, more confidence to go up against bigger and more seasoned competitors or being able to enter a good mental zone to compete well.

"These are targets we constantly pore over as a team, so it's really important that they have kept these in focus.

"The medals are definitely a morale booster, but we are frankly rather excited by the personal bests, as they evidence an upward trajectory that results from effective training, and that is really what we want for the swimmers, as they work towards the real deal next year to qualify for Paris 2024.

"Every opportunity from here until then is crucial to that eventual cut."