chinese pinyin born january swimmer muscular competes category physically impaired won medals international competitions games japan paralympic swimming championships paralympic swimming championships summer paralympics won gold medal metres silver medal metres freestyle setting world records events honour feats conferred service medal national day awards ceremony named young woman year local magazine world achievements contributed public debate treatment recognition disabled athletes singapore early years personal life born muscular genetic disorder slowly breaks muscles nerve condition affects started swimming improve health strengthen muscles age lost ability walk use wheelchair youngest children family studied graduated studying social science swimming career started swimming years old losing ability kick switched crawl reclassified category lower numbers indicate severe disabilities coach swimmer fellow paralympic swimmer close friend role model competitive swimming participated events raise awareness disabled sports swimming meets secondary school track field meet successes national championships participated winning gold medals international competition games won gold medals bronze received gold medals long course swimming championships won gold medals japan paralympic swimming championships gold medals games 4th finished women metres individual medley minutes seconds set world record time minute seconds metres paralympic swimming trials 22nd international german paralympic swimming championships saw set world record minutes seconds metres heats finals awarded gold medal time minutes seconds world record started summer paralympic games campaign breaking world record seconds women metres freestyle heats narrowly beaten mexican swimmer finals silver medal time seconds women metres heats posted time seconds taking seconds world record swam women metres finals time seconds win gold medal returned singapore president conferred state medal success won bronze medals equestrian events sparked public debate treatment recognition disabled athletes singapore letters criticised poor coverage paralympics commented cash awards handed government olympic gold paralympic gold issues raised parliament parliamentary secretary promised study plans disabled athletes greater support include sporting programmes project training programme months later cash rewards paralympic medals doubled funding increased 8th games torch lighter
Yip Pin Xiu