Credit: SDSC
Team Singapore para swimmers kicked off their 2025 season with an impressive showing at the Para Swimming World Series Australia, clinching three medals and setting two new national records at the competition held in Melbourne from 14 to 16 February.
Yip Pin Xiu marked her first competition since Paris 2024 with two podium finishes. She first claimed a bronze medal in the Women’s 200m Freestyle Multiclass final, clocking 4:57.58 and earning 850 World Para Swimming points. On the second day of competition, she added a silver medal in the Women’s 50m Backstroke Multiclass final, with a time of 1:06.33 and earning 806 points.
“I think this competition was a good start to the season and I look forward to more good races,” said Yip.
Sophie Soon also had a standout performance, securing a silver medal in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke Multiclass final with a time of 42.17 and 622 points.
Reflecting on her performance, Soon said: “Overall, while my timings could have been a bit better, I’m happy with my swims as this is my first race after coming back from a long break after the Paris Paralympics.”
Soon, who has been managing an elbow injury since late 2022, last competed at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, where she finished seventh in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB12 final.
Her coach, Roland Tan, commented: “The break was much needed for her to rest and recover from her injury. Her main goal for this World Series was to regain the feel of racing and ensure she was pain-free.”
“She achieved that and even won a silver medal in the process—she did very well.”
Soon also set a new National Record and personal best in the Women’s 50m Butterfly final, clocking 36.88 to surpass her previous mark of 42.09 in the S12 classification, set at the Singapore Disability Sports Council’s Swimming Trial in 2020.
Another milestone was achieved by Wong Zhi Wei, who set a new National Record and personal best in the Men’s 100m Freestyle Multiclass heats with a time of 58.05, improving on his 2024 record (59.13) in the S13 classification set at the same competition last year.
Other Team Singapore para swimmers—Colin Soon, Danielle Moi, and Darren Chan—also completed their first competition of the year at the World Series’ opening leg in Melbourne.
Looking ahead, Team Singapore will next compete at the Para Swimming World Series Fuji-Shizuoka in Japan this April. This marks Japan’s debut as the second Asian host in the event’s history and the only Asian stop in this year’s series, following Singapore’s successful hosting during the past three editions. The World Series first expanded into Asia in 2019, when Singapore became the region’s inaugural host. Later this year, Singapore will make history as the first Asian country to host the World Para Swimming Championships, set to take place from 21 to 27 September.
The World Para Swimming Series uses the Multi-Class Point System where each swimmer’s result is compared to the world record for their specific sport class and awarded points. The closer the performance is to the relevant record, the higher the points.
Link to Media Release
