Sleepless in Singapore, Yip Pin Xiu wins 8th gold at World Para Swimming C’ships

SINGAPORE – Yip Pin Xiu’s mind was wide awake even as she lay in bed the night before her biggest race at the World Para Swimming Championships, thinking about her upcoming women’s 50m backstroke S2 event.

Despite the lack of sleep, Singapore’s swim queen powered to victory in the OCBC Aquatic Centre pool on Sept 26, when she added an eighth world title to her long list of career achievements.

It was the first gold for Yip at the meet – and her fourth consecutive world title in the event – after her

silver in the 100m backstroke S2 on Sept 23

.

Yip, 33, appeared emotional on the podium during the medal ceremony as she blew kisses to the crowd, who included President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Law Edwin Tong and Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo.

She said: “Last night, I really couldn’t sleep properly because there was a kind of energy in me that really wanted to do well today.

“I just tried to do everything in my ability, but the difference was that this time around, I tried to enjoy the race as much as I could.

“For the 100m there was still a lot of nervous energy, but this time around, I just wanted to have fun.”

Yip got off to a slow start in the 50m backstroke S2 final, as Italy’s Arjola Trimi surged ahead from Lane 6.

But the last 15 metres proved critical as Trimi slowed significantly and the Singaporean was able to touch the wall first in 1min 04.31sec, ahead of Russian neutral athlete Diana Koltsova (1:05.72) and Trimi (1:05.83).

There was also a measure of revenge for Yip, who was beaten to the 100m back S2 gold by the 17-year-old Koltsova.

She said: “It feels extremely special that I’m able to do it in front of all the people who supported me.

“When I reached the wall, that was also one of the things that I thought of, that like everybody else tonight will be able to hear the national anthem...

“It’s a really special moment for me that everyone will be able to sing alongside and know that their support means the world to us.”

She had qualified first in the morning’s heats, clocking 1:09.58. Italy’s Angela Procida (1:10.89) was second fastest, while Mexico’s Fabiola Ramirez Martinez (1:10.94) was third.

The veteran swimmer, who has seven Paralympic gold medals, added: “To win the world champion title on home ground is truly very special, because I know the people in the stands watching.

“I could recognise some of the voices cheering me on. And to know that Singapore is capable of hosting such an amazing meet.”

After the world meet, Yip will take a break from swimming as she prepares for her wedding to pilot Bruce Boo next week.

In the morning’s other heats, Wong Zhi Wei clocked 4:47.22 to finish 12th out of 12 in the men’s 400m free S13, while Sophie Soon (1:30.84) was last out of nine in the women’s 100m back S11 heats.

Teammate Toh Wei Soong clocked 29.57sec to finish sixth out of eight in the men’s 50m freestyle S7 final. Ukraine’s Andrii Trusov was first in a championship-record 26.72, ahead of Colombia’s Carlos Serrano Zarate (28.04) and Russia’s Egor Efrosinin (28.38).

The Singapore quartet of Darren Chan, Danielle Moi, Han Liang Chou and Jazlene Tan finished last out of four in the mixed 4x100m medley relay S14 final, clocking 5:22.53.

Winners Britain bettered Australia’s world record of 4:07.71 enroute to the gold in 4:02.86, while Brazil (4:05.98) and Thailand (4:32.74) claimed the silver and bronze.

Another world mark was broken as Spain’s Albert Gelis stormed home in 1:05.14 in the men’s 100m back S11 final to lower Ukrainian Mykhailo Serbin’s mark of 1:05.84 set at the Paris Paralympics.

The final day of competition on Sept 27 will see Toh in action in the men’s 100m free S7 heats, while Moi and Chan will compete in the women’s and men’s 100m fly S14 heats respectively.