Pat Chan

Pat Chan
Patricia Chan in 1966
Personal information
Full name Patricia Chan Li-Yin
Nationality Singapore
Born (1954-04-12) 12 April 1954
Singapore
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight 64 kg (141 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Backstroke, Freestyle, Medley
Club Chinese Swimming Club
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  Singapore
Asian Games
1970 Bangkok400 m freestyle
1970 Bangkok4×100 m freestyle
1970 Bangkok4×100 m medley
1966 Bangkok100 m backstroke
1966 Bangkok200 m medley
1966 Bangkok4×100 m freestyle
1970 Bangkok100 m freestyle
1970 Bangkok200 m freestyle

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

  1. 1 2 "Asian Games Winners" (PDF). Singapore National Olympic Council. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2010. Retrieved 2012-11-03.
  2. ↑ Pat Chan. sports-reference.com
  3. ↑ Patricia Chan Archived 22 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine.. sportsmuseum.com.sg
  4. 1 2 Patricia Chan Li-Yin Archived 19 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine.. infopedia.nl.sg
  5. ↑ "Swimmer Roy also shines in studies". The Straits Times. 1972-03-13. Retrieved 2012-11-03.
  6. ↑ "Roy to unveil plaque at Ocean Building". The Straits Times. 1974-07-17. Retrieved 2012-11-03.
  7. ↑ "Swim star weds". The Straits Times. 1978-08-04. Retrieved 2012-11-03.
  8. ↑ "Host Nations and Representatives for the Asian Games". Sports Museum of Singapore. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "Little night music with Pat Chan". Fridae Asia. 2004-03-22. Retrieved 2012-11-03.
  10. ↑ "陈国华". China Central Television. 2007-09-05. Retrieved 2012-11-03.
  11. ↑ Govindram, Ranee (1975-06-15). "Ex-swim star gets rare varsity honour; Harvard award for Dr. Chan's daughter Vicky". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2012-11-01.
  12. ↑ Toh Ting Wei (11 June 2014). "Marina keeps Chan name flying". The Straits Times. Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 15 September 2014 – via AsiaOne.
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