Yip Pin Xiu on top of the world again after winning gold at World Para Swimming Championships
SINGAPORE — Singapore national para swimmer Yip Pin Xiu became a world champion for the second time in her career, after she clinched the gold medal in the women’s 100m backstroke (S2) race at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London on Wednesday (11 September).
The 27-year-old – who is the world record-holder in the event – clocked 2min 18.61sec to win her race by more than 20 seconds over silver medallist Aly van Wyck-Smart of Canada, who clocked 2:39.27. Italy’s Angela Procida won the bronze medal in 2:42.71.
“It feels really good to be a world champion. I’m really happy,” Yip said after her win.
“I’ve been swimming for 15 years now, but victory is special to me and recognition for all the hard training I do. The journey is important to me and I’m happy to be at this point now.”
While this was her second gold medal won at the biennial World Championships, it is her first gold competing in the S2 class. When she clinched her first world title in 2010, winning the 50m freestyle race in Eindhoven, she was competing in the S3 class.
Due to her muscular dystrophy, which leads to progressive weakening of the muscles, Yip was re-classified from an S3 swimmer to S2 in 2015. The lower the number in the classification, the more severe the impairment.
Wednesday’s gold-medal win should serve her in good stead as she prepares for next year’s Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Yip has one more event at the World Championships – Friday’s women’s 50m backstroke (S2), in which she is also the world record-holder.
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