SDSC | News

Swimmers win Zone Colours Awards

Every year-end, the Singapore Schools Sports Council confers awards on students who have achieved individual excellence in his or her sport. There are two kinds of awards – Zone and National Colours Awards.

Zone Colours Awards are awarded to students who have won either two gold medals or one gold and two silver medals at national competitions or are Combined Schools representatives. National Colours Awards are given to those who have represented Combined Schools for two consecutive years and have won a medal at a Combined Schools meet.

In 2006, Ms Yip Pin Xiu, representing Bendemeer Secondary School, received her second South Zone Colours Award as well as a National Colours Award, with her applaudable 4-gold performance at the Disability Sports England (DSE) Long Course Women’s Swimming Championships. This year, Pin Xiu continued to score outstanding results, which could potentially earn Singapore its second qualifying slot in swimming at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics. As such, Pin Xiu was duely awarded the South Zone Colours Award for the third time. Pin Xiu has been undergoing training with the national squad after being recruited by Singapore Disability Sports Council when she was 12 years old. Over the past three years, Pin Xiu has participated in a number of regional and international competitions and shown immense progress.

Yip Pin Xiu, 15, swimmer
“When I heard that I had received the South Zone Colours Award this year, I was pretty surprised as I did not expect to go as far as getting it for the third time. On 21 September, I went to collect the award with a few other schoolmates. They told me that the Guest-of-Honour would walk to me for the presentation. It was a very nervous moment as I was afraid something would go wrong but luckily, everything went smoothly. I feel very honoured and am glad that a year’s hard work has paid off.”

Khristine Quek Tian Hui took part in her first international competition last year when she represented Singapore at the 9th Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled (FESPIC), equivalent of the Asian Games. The young girl who has been steadily earning gold medals at national competitions since 2002 showed the same prowess on the international front, where she has won several medals to date, including 1 bronze and 1 gold medal at the IWAS International World Wheelchair and Amputee Games. This year, 13-year-old Khristine made a change not only in the sports scene but in the history of Singapore, as she became the first disabled athlete to be accepted into the Singapore Sports School.

Khristine Quek Tian Hui, 13, swimmer
“When I received the good news from my general manager that I have won the North Zone Colours Award, I was happy and, yet, feeling unbelievable. This is my first time winning the colours award. The feeling was beyond expression. It is a mixed feeling of happiness and excitement. And I think my hard work has paid off!”