Pat Chan
![]() Chan in 1966 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Patricia Chan Li-Yin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Singapore | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Singapore | 12 April 1954||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 64 kg (141 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Backstroke, Freestyle, Medley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | Chinese Swimming Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Patricia Chan Li-Yin (陈丽燕; born 12 April 1954), popularly known as Pat Chan and the "Golden Girl", is a retired swimmer from Singapore. Between 1965 and 1973 she won 39 gold medals at Southeast Asian Games, which was the best achievement for a Singaporean athlete in any sport until 2005. She competed in eight events at the 1966 and 1970 Asian Games and won 3 silver and 5 bronze medals.[1] At the 1970 Games she set a national record in the 200 m backstroke that stood for 23 years. At the 1972 Summer Olympics she was the flag bearer for Singapore and competed in the 100 m and 200 m backstroke events, but failed to reach the finals.[2] Chan was named the Best Sportswoman of Singapore for five consecutive years (1967–1971).[3] In 2002, she was inducted into the Singapore Sports Council Hall of Fame and ranked fourth among Singapore's 50 greatest athletes.[4]
Chan retired from competitions in 1973, aged 19, to become the first Singaporean female professional coach. She later turned to journalism, and currently runs her own media company, Visus Inq.[4]
Family[]
Patricia and her siblings were coached by their father, Chan Ah Kow, the Singaporean Coach of the Year in 1970 and 1971. Her brother Roy Chan Kum Wah, won a bronze medal at the 1970 Asian Games in the 4×200 m relay.[1][5][6] Her two other brothers, Alex Chan Meng Wah and Bernard Chan Cheng Wah, were swimmers too; the latter competed at the 1966 Asian Games and 1964 Summer Olympics.[7][8] Her other brother Mark Chan is a composer,[9][10] while her elder sister, Victoria Chan-Palay is a prominent neuroscientist in the United States and Switzerland.[11] Her niece, Marina, is an international swimmer.[12]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Asian Games Winners" (PDF). Singapore National Olympic Council. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ Pat Chan. sports-reference.com
- ^ Patricia Chan Archived 22 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine. sportsmuseum.com.sg
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Patricia Chan Li Yin | Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
- ^ "Swimmer Roy also shines in studies". The Straits Times. 13 March 1972. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Roy to unveil plaque at Ocean Building". The Straits Times. 17 July 1974. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Swim star weds". The Straits Times. 4 August 1978. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Host Nations and Representatives for the Asian Games". Sports Museum of Singapore. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Little night music with Pat Chan". Fridae Asia. 22 March 2004. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ "陈国华". China Central Television. 5 September 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ Govindram, Ranee (15 June 1975). "Ex-swim star gets rare varsity honour; Harvard award for Dr. Chan's daughter Vicky". The Straits Times. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- ^ Toh Ting Wei (11 June 2014). "Marina keeps Chan name flying". The Straits Times. Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 15 September 2014 – via AsiaOne.
External links[]
- 1954 births
- Living people
- Singaporean female backstroke swimmers
- Olympic swimmers of Singapore
- Swimmers at the 1972 Summer Olympics
- Asian Games silver medalists for Singapore
- Asian Games bronze medalists for Singapore
- Asian Games medalists in swimming
- Swimmers at the 1966 Asian Games
- Swimmers at the 1970 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 1966 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 1970 Asian Games
- Commonwealth Games competitors for Singapore
- Swimmers at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- Swimmers at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games
- Singaporean female freestyle swimmers
- Singaporean female medley swimmers
- Southeast Asian Games gold medalists for Singapore
- Southeast Asian Games medalists in swimming
- Competitors at the 1971 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games