Yip Pin Xiu

Since winning her first Paralympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Games, Yip Pin Xiu has become Singapore’s most decorated Paralympian, with seven gold and one silver medal across five Games. In 2025, she clinched her eighth world title at the World Para Swimming Championships, winning gold in the women’s 50m backstroke S2—on home soil.

For her trailblazing achievements, Yip was awarded the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal) in 2016 and has been named Sportswoman of the Year at the Singapore Disability Sports Awards five times—first in 2019, then consecutively from 2021 to 2024. In 2022, she received the inaugural President’s Award for Inspiring Achievement from then-president Halimah Yacob, recognising her extraordinary contributions to sport and society.

That same year, she co-founded a swim school with two former national coaches to teach children of all abilities not only to swim, but to swim well—a reflection of her belief that excellence should be accessible to everyone. Beyond the pool, Yip continues to make waves as a changemaker and advocate. A former nominated member of parliament (2018–2020), she uses her voice to champion inclusion, equality, and representation for persons with disabilities, embodying the spirit of perseverance and purpose that defines her journey