Team Singapore’s Bahrain 2021 Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) campaign has taken flight with three gold medals and one silver medal won by swimmer Colin Soon (two gold), boccia athlete Aloysius Gan (gold) and track and field athlete Siti Nurhayati Binte Ali Aksar Khan (silver).
With two days of competition left to go, Singapore has already outperformed past medal hauls at the first two editions of the AYPG.
Soon made waves at Khalifa Sports City as he stormed to two gold medals on day three of competition at the Bahrain 2021 AYPG.
He won gold in the men’s 12-16 400m freestyle S11-13 with a time of 5:00.64, setting a new personal best and lowering his own national record.
His previous national record of 5:01.27 was recorded at the SPH Foundation National Inclusive Swimming Time Trial 2021 held on 23 November 2021.
He made it two gold medals from two races by winning the men’s 12-16 100m breaststroke SB11-13 in a time of 1:14.53, narrowly missing out on the chance to set another personal best.
For both events, he met the qualification times required to qualify for the Madeira 2022 World Para Swimming Championships that will take place from 12 to 18 June next year.
“I feel extremely happy and delighted to get this gold medal because I have been working very hard to achieve coach’s timings and also to win medals,” he said.
Soon aside, Team Singapore flag bearer Aloysius Gan made history as he won Singapore’s first-ever boccia medal at the AYPG level.
“I am so happy to win Singapore’s first-ever Boccia medal at the AYPG. It was a very close match, but I concentrated on what I could do and did my best. It is a wonderful moment for my family and me. I am looking forward to the mixed pair event,” he said.
Siti Nurhayati rounded off Team Singapore’s day with a pulsating run at the Khalifa Stadium by winning a silver in the women’s U20 T20 400m final in a time of 1:11.29.
“I feel very happy to win the silver medal,” she said.
“I listened to my coach’s instructions and did my best.”
Photos: Singapore National Paralympic Council
