At the Singapore Disability Sports Awards, Wong Wei Soong and Yip Pin Xiu once again claimed the Male and Female Athlete of the Year titles, reaffirming their excellence in para sports.

Thanks to their outstanding performances in 2024, Singapore para swimmers Wong Wei Soong and Yip Pin Xiu once again dominated the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) Awards on Thursday (Nov 20), claiming the Male and Female Athlete of the Year titles.

Yip Pin Xiu, 33, remains a familiar name at the awards. With seven golds and one silver from the past five Paralympic Games, she has now secured her sixth Female Athlete of the Year award.
At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, she completed her third sweep of the S2 50m and 100m backstroke events and continued her success at the Madeira European Open Championships and the World Para Swimming Series in Singapore and Melbourne.

“This past six years has flown by, and so have the past twenty,” Yip said. “Since this awards ceremony returned in 2019, I’ve managed to maintain a level of performance I’m proud of. I’m grateful for the support I’ve received and hope to keep giving my best at every stage of my life.”

The awards were revived in 2019 after an 11-year hiatus, with Yip winning for the first time that year. After a pandemic break in 2020, she has since won the award five years in a row (2021–2025).

Wong Wei Soong wins fourth straight Male Athlete of the Year

The Male Athlete of the Year award went to 27-year-old Wong Wei Soong for the fourth consecutive time.
Last year, he won one gold and one bronze at the Singapore leg of the World Para Swimming Series and reached the finals of the men’s S7 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly at the Paris Paralympics.

Currently attending a training camp in Japan, Wong was unable to be present at the ceremony. He is set to compete at next year's ASEAN Para Games.

Youth Awards and increased prize funding

The Youth Athlete of the Year awards went to hardcourt boccia players Yan Kai Hong (19) and Zhen Jiayi (20).

Winners of the main categories originally received $1,000, but thanks to a special contribution of up to $5,000 from the CKY Foundation, award recipients received a total of $6,000.

Community & volunteer recognition

The ceremony also honoured contributions to the community. NTU doctoral candidate Lim Jiaying received the Individual Volunteer Award for her long-term dedication.

Lim began volunteering in NTU before extending her efforts to non-profit organisations and eventually SDSC, helping build volunteer management systems and supporting major events.

“What keeps me going is the people,” she said. “Every now and then, volunteers tell me how their perspectives changed after serving with us. Hearing that motivates me to continue making a difference.”

Ten years of partnership with Haw Par Corporation

The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of SDSC’s partnership with Haw Par Corporation. To commemorate the milestone, Haw Par donated $120,000, presented by Group General Manager Louis Loh to SDSC President Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang.

CEO Y.C. Hwang said:
“We are honoured to support SDSC for a decade and witness the growth of Singapore’s para sports community, especially boccia. From nurturing young talent to achieving international success—such as Tan Yiting’s silver medal at the Paris Paralympics—sports truly bring people together and change lives.”