PM Lee commends Singapore Paralympians’ efforts at Tokyo 2020
As the Tokyo Paralympics drew to a close yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong paid tribute to Singapore's athletes in a Facebook post.
Team Singapore's contingent of 10 had wrapped up their involvement in the Games, which started on Aug 24, last Friday.
Swimmer Toh Wei Soong was the last of the Republic's athletes in action and ended his first Paralympic campaign on a high as he broke his men's S7 50m butterfly national record twice en route to fourth place.
Mr Lee wrote: "The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will come to a close tonight.
"Ten Team Singapore Paralympians competed at the Games, of whom four were debutants.
"All have had a commendable campaign.
"Thank you all for inspiring Singaporeans with your grit, passion and never-say-die spirit, especially during these tough times. May this experience spur us all on to be better and stronger!"
He also highlighted the achievements of several athletes, who notched major milestones at the Tokyo Games.
Cyclist Steve Tee and competition partner Ang Kee Meng, who were Singapore's first tandem cycling pair at the Paralympics, set two personal bests in the men's B 4,000m individual pursuit (finishing ninth) and men's B 1,000m time trial (eighth).
Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu garnered two more gold medals in the women's S2 50m and 100m backstroke events.
Toh rewrote his national record in the S7 50m freestyle when finishing seventh. He was also seventh in the S7 400m free.
Muhammad Diroy Noordin was another athlete who broke his own national record in the men's F40 shot put.
Nur Aini Mohamad Yasli made history by becoming Singapore's first representative in powerlifting when she competed in the women's up to 45kg category.
Singapore was also represented by three equestrians - Laurentia Tan, who was fifth in the Grade I dressage individual test and individual freestyle test despite a difficult build-up owing to the pandemic, Maximillian Tan and Gemma Foo - as well as world No. 2 archer Nur Syahidah Alim and swimmer Sophie Soon.
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