Paralympics: Singapore's Yip Pin Xiu wins gold in 100m backstroke (S2)

Aug 25, 2021 05:28 pm

World record holder Yip Pin Xiu got Singapore’s first gold medal of the Tokyo Paralympics on the first day of action on Wednesday (Aug 25), retaining her 100m backstroke (S2) crown from Rio 2016.

Swimming in lane four at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, she won the event in a dominant 2min 16.61sec, with the hosts’ Miyuki Yamada taking the silver in 2:26.18 and Mexico’s Fabiola Ramirez third in 2:36.54.

The 29-year-old Yip, the nation’s most successful Paralympian, was the fastest swimmer in the heats, clocking a season best 2:14.46. Her world record time of 2:07.09 was set at Rio 2016.

This is former Nominated Member of Parliament Yip’s fourth Olympic gold over four Games.

She won a gold and silver in Beijing 2008 and a pair of golds at Rio 2016.

She will have a chance to match her haul from Brazil when she defends her 50m back (S2) crown on Sept 2. Yip is also the world record holder in that event.