Paralympic champion Yip Pin Xiu conferred honorary degree by University of Glasgow

SINGAPORE – Throughout her athletic career, seven-gold Paralympic swimming champion Yip Pin Xiu has continually made waves with achievements that resonate far beyond Singapore.

It is not just her accomplishments in the pool that have created an impact, but also her advocacy for greater inclusion, accessibility and equity for persons with disabilities.

The 34-year-old’s contributions in and out of the water have earned her an honorary degree by the University of Glasgow, which was presented at a special ceremony at CHIJMES to commemorate its 575th anniversary, the institution announced on Oct 20.

Yip said in a statement: “I have admired the university’s commitment to opening doors for people from every background and to research that makes a real difference in the world.

“Education changes lives and creates opportunities. This community has shaped so many remarkable change makers and it means a great deal to me. I am grateful to the university for this recognition.”

The celebration in Singapore is part of a programme of anniversary events recognising the university’s history and its global community.

Professor Andy Schofield, the University of Glasgow’s principal and vice-chancellor, said: “Yip has shown what talent and dedication can achieve, while championing opportunities for others.

“It is a pleasure to recognise that contribution as we celebrate the people and connections that make Glasgow a truly global university.”

This comes less than three months after Yip was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws from her alma mater Singapore Management University in recognition of her sporting achievements and contributions to society.

Diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease – a condition which causes the progressive loss of muscle tissue and touch – when she was two, Yip found freedom and joy in swimming.

She was just 12 when she was talent spotted by a swimming coach with the Singapore Disability Sports Council and joined the council’s sports programme, marking the start of her competitive swimming career.

Four years later, she broke her first world record at the US Paralympics swimming trials, with a 1min 0.80sec effort in the 50m backstroke S3 event.

That same year, she created history by becoming the first Singaporean to win a gold at the Paralympics as she won the 50m back S3 title at the 2008 Beijing Games.

She also clinched the 50m freestyle S3 silver in China.

Since then, she has picked up six more golds at the quadrennial event, alongside eight world titles. She also currently owns the 50m and 100m back S2 world records.

Her achievements in the pool also highlighted the disparity between the cash incentives for Singaporean athletes who win medals at the Paralympics and Olympics.

While prize money for Paralympic medals remains less than that for the Olympics, it has been boosted over the years.

A Paralympic gold under the Athletes Achievement Awards (AAA) scheme is now $500,000 – an increase from $200,000 in 2021 – while an Olympic gold medallist is awarded $1 million under the Major Games Award Programme (MAP).

The AAA is given out by the Singapore National Paralympic Council, with the Tote Board and DBS Bank as its primary sponsors, while the MAP is managed by the Singapore National Olympic Council and sponsored by the Tote Board.

Yip’s push for inclusion goes beyond calling for equal prize money – she has also worked with governmental and community organisations to advance opportunities and support for persons with disabilities.

During her tenure as a Nominated MP from 2018 to 2020, she spoke about issues in sports and the well-being of vulnerable groups.

She brought attention to challenges that people with disabilities may face in accessing information, food and other essentials during the Covid-19 pandemic, and spoke out against campus sexual violence and workplace harassment.

Kimberly Kwek joined The Straits Times in 2019 as a sports journalist and has since covered a wide array of sports, including golf and sailing.