Warm welcome for Singapore’s Paralympians after returning from landmark showing at Games

SINGAPORE: A warm welcome greeted Singapore’s Paralympians at Changi Airport on Tuesday (Sep 10) as they returned home after a landmark showing at the Paralympics.

Cheered on by about 100 family members and supporters, they were greeted by Minister for Community, Culture and Youth Edwin Tong.
Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu’s brother Alvin, his wife and their two sons were among the crowd gathered to receive the athletes.
“The way she has paved the movement for disability sport, that’s something (which is) very commendable,” he said.
“This is her fifth Paralympics outing and still maintaining (her standards) and still doing well. It talks a lot about resilience that we as family members also see.”
Also present at the airport were Jeralyn Tan’s parents, grandmother and extended family.
“She did very well. I watched each and every one of her matches … I was cheering for her,” said Mdm Lim Tuah Moi, Tan’s grandmother.
“I never thought she’d get a medal – there are a lot of strong competitors. I’m happy she won.”
“She has put in a lot of hard work … it’s a big achievement,” said Tan’s father Rayven.
“We’re all very proud of her.”
Team Singapore’s contingent of 10 athletes concluded their Games campaign with three medals – two gold and one silver. This meant that they bettered the two golds and one bronze at the 2016 Games.
The most medals Singapore have won at the Paralympics was at the 2008 edition when they took home one gold, one silver and two bronzes.
Among the arriving contingent was Yip, who notched a double three-peat at the Paris Games. The Singaporean won the 50m backstroke S2 and the 100m backstroke S2 for the third consecutive time since 2016.
There was also a historic boccia silver for Tan. The 32-year-old became the first Singaporean to claim a medal at the Games in the sport. Tan was making her Games debut.
She became only Singapore’s fourth Paralympic medallist, joining swimmers Yip, Theresa Goh and equestrian Laurentia Tan in the history books.