SINGAPORE'S 'GREAT SHOW'

Plenty of praise from athletes, officials and fans for host of world para swimming meet

- Melvyn Teoh

Spectators at the OCBC Aquatic Centre watching the closing ceremony of the World Para Swimming Championships on Sept 27. Italy topped the medal tally for a fourth straight time with 18 golds, 17 silvers and 11 bronzes. Singapore earned a gold and a silver - both from Yip Pin Xiu.

(ST PHOTOS: SHINTARO TAY)

A once-in-a-lifetime trip to Asia had a “beautiful” detour for Mexican Emilio Contreras and his wife, who were in Singapore for a 10-day vacation.

A chance encounter with Mexico’s swimmers and officials at their hotel convinced Contreras to buy tickets to the Toyota World Para Swimming Championships held at the OCBC Aquatic Centre.

The 60-year-old realtor, who now lives in the United States, told The Sunday Times: “My wife did some research about Singapore and how safe and beautiful it was, so we decided to come here on our first trip to Asia.

“It’s (the championships) great, beautiful. It was great to see people with some disadvantages compete.”

Held here from Sept 21 to 27, the world swimming meet saw 585 athletes from 75 countries and territories competing across 172 events, with Italy emerging tops for a fourth consecutive time with 18 golds, 17 silvers and 11 bronzes. The US were second (18-6-11) and China third (17-9-7).

While Contreras and his countrymen celebrated their nation’s medal haul of one gold, one silver and five bronzes, the hosts also had plenty to cheer about.

Singapore’s swim queen Yip Pin Xiu clinched a silver in the 100m backstroke S2 on Sept 23, before retaining her 50m back S2 gold three days later to take her overall world title tally to eight.