Singaporean Paralympic swimmer
Toh Wei Soong PLY (Chinese: 杜维崧; pinyin: Dù Wéisōng; born 11 September 1998) is a Singaporean freestyle and butterfly swimmer. He was a bronze medallist in the S7 50 metre Freestyle at the 2018 Commonwealth Games[1] and a two-time gold medallist at the 2018 Asian Para Games for the S7 50 metre Freestyle and the S7 100 metre Freestyle events.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Toh finished fourth in the S7 50 metre Butterfly final, missing a bronze medal by 0.16 seconds.
Early life and education
At the age of 2, Toh was affected by Transverse myelitis,[2] a condition which is caused by the inflammation of the spinal cord and has affected his lower nervous system.[3] The eldest of two children in his family, Toh studied in Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent),[4] graduating from the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme in 2017.
Toh is currently reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at the National University of Singapore, enrolled in the University Scholars Programme.[5]
Swimming career
Toh started swimming competitively at the age of 14. He won the first-ever Special Event at the annual SSSC Championships, competing as a para-swimmer for ACS(I). In 2013 he joined Aquatic Performance Swim Club under the Singapore National Para-Swimming Team and met his current coach, Ang Peng Siong, a former Singaporean Olympic swimmer.
2013 Asian Youth Para Games
At the 2013 Asian Youth Para Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Toh won a silver medal in the Men's 100 metre freestyle S8 event, his first medal in an international event.
2015 ASEAN Para Games
At the 2015 ASEAN Para Games held in Singapore, Toh rose to prominence by winning three gold medals and one silver medal from his 4 events.[6] He was also a torch bearer alongside other Singaporean athletes such as Yip Pin Xiu and Tay Wei Ming[7]
2017 ASEAN Para Games
At the 2017 ASEAN Para Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Toh won two gold medals and one silver medal from his 3 events,[8] breaking several Games records for his events.
2018 Commonwealth Games
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games held in Gold Coast, Australia, Toh won the first para-swimming medal for Singapore in the Men's 50 metre freestyle S7 event, obtaining a bronze medal. He is also the second person to win a swimming medal for Singapore at the Commonwealth Games, following up on Joseph Schooling's silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, UK.
2018 Asian Para Games
At the 2018 Asian Para Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia, Toh won the first medal for Singapore at the 2018 Asian Para Games, obtaining a gold medal in the Men's 50 metre freestyle S7 event on the first day of competition, beating competitors Daisuke Ejima from Japan and Ernie Gawilan from the Philippines. He went on to win another gold medal in the Men's 100 metre freestyle S7 event as well as a bronze medal in the Men's 100 metre backstroke S7 event,[9] becoming the most decorated Singaporean athlete of the Games.[10]
2020 Summer Olympics
At the 2020 Summer Olympics Paralympics
held in Tokyo, Japan, Toh finished fourth in the S7 50 metre Butterfly final, missing out on a bronze medal by 0.16 seconds. He also swam in the S7 50 metre Freestyle and S7 400 metre Freestyle finals, finishing seventh in both events respectively.[11]
2022 Commonwealth Games
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, England, Toh won a silver medal for Singapore in the Men's S7 50 metre freestyle,[12] becoming the most decorated Singapore swimmer at the Commonwealth Games with one silver and one bronze medal.
2023 ASEAN Para Games
At the 2023 ASEAN Para Games held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Toh won three gold medals and two silver medals for Singapore over 5 events, setting new Games Records in the S7 Men's 50 metre Butterfly and S7 Men's 100 metre Freestyle respectively, with a new National Record set in the S7 Men's 100 metre Backstroke.[13]
2022 Asian Para Games
At the 2022 Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China, Toh won three gold medals and one silver medal for Singapore over 4 events, becoming the most decorated Singapore athlete at the 2022 Asian Para Games.[14] Toh was also the first medallist for Singapore at the Games with his silver medal in the S7 400 metre Freestyle event.[15] He later won three gold medals in the S7 100M Backstroke, the S7 50M Butterfly and the S7 50M Freestyle event respectively.[16]
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