Asean Para Games: Siblings Colin and Sophie Soon clinch 1st two golds

SINGAPORE — Visually-impaired siblings Colin and Sophie Soon clinched Singapore's first two gold medals at the Asean Para Games (APG) in Solo, Indonesia, on Monday (1 August).

Colin, 17, posted a Games record of 1min 13.33sec in the men's 100m breaststroke (SB12) race, ahead of his only other competitor, Vietnam's Nguyen Van Hanh (1:26.34).

Shortly after his winning swim, elder sister Sophie, 25, also clinched gold in the women's 100m breaststroke (SB12) in Games-record time, clocking 1:28.38 to beat three other competitors.

"The gold was really unexpected because when I arrived, I wasn't sure who my competitors were going to be and how they were going to perform," Colin said. "So it was a very pleasant surprise to get my first gold at my first APG.”

On winning golds together with his sister, he said, "It is a very happy coincidence, but also it's like the collection has been completed today. So, we can celebrate together and be happy together when we go back to the hotel.”

Sophie was similarly thrilled to have won gold together with her brother, who was making his Games debut. She said, "I was telling my coach on the way out (to the start of the final) that Colin did the first 'Majulah Singapura' for Team Singapore, and to be the second one just behind him is something that I really have no words.

"I'm really so happy that my brother is here with me alongside and achieving such great results with me.”

Another Singapore para-swimmer, Wong Zhi Wei, clinched a silver medal in the men's 100m breaststroke (SB13) in a personal-best time of 1:15.69.

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