Ang Peng Siong

Ang Peng Siong (Chinese: 洪秉祥; pinyin: Hóng Bǐngxiáng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Âng Píng-siông; born 27 October 1962 in Singapore) is a swimmer from Singapore, who once held the world no.1 ranking in the 50 m freestyle. As of 2012, he is Singapore's Swimming National Head Coach.^[1]

Biography

Ang was taught to swim at the age of five by his father Ang Teck Bee (Chinese: 洪德美), who competed in judo at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. He studied at Anderson Secondary School and Anglo-Chinese School.

Ang first represented Singapore at the 1977 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, where he was a silver medalist in the 4 x 100 m freestyle relay.

His first major international competition was the Hawaii International Invitational Swimming Championship, an event which included many top swimmers from countries that boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. During the meet, Ang delighted the swimming fraternity by being the only non-American swimmer to qualify for the 50m freestyle final. As a result of his performance in Hawaii, Ang received a full athletic scholarship from the University of Houston in the United States.

World's fastest

At the US Swimming Championships in 1982, Ang won the 50 m freestyle in 22.69 seconds, a world best time for that year.^[2] Ang also represented Singapore at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, and won gold in the 100 m freestyle. Ang was presented with the 'World's Fastest Swimmer' award for 1982.

In 1983, Ang won the 50-yard freestyle race at the NCAA Division One Swimming Championships. He was also the 50-yard champion at the US Swimming Championships in 1982 and 1986, and was named an All-American for four consecutive years from 1981-84.

1984 Olympics and after

Ang represented Singapore at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where he was the winner of the 'B' consolation final for the 100 m freestyle. (He was not able to compete in his pet event, the 50 m freestyle, as it did not become an Olympic event until 1988.)

At the 1986 World Swimming Championships in Madrid, Ang finished fourth in the 50 m freestyle.

In eight appearances at the Southeast Asian Games from 1977 to 1993, Ang won a total of 20 gold medals. He held the fastest time by an Asian over 50 m freestyle until 1996. His time of 22.69 seconds remains a Southeast Asian record.

Coaching

Since retiring from top-level competition, Ang has devoted himself to coaching. He has worked with swimmers at all levels - from young children just learning how to swim, to national champions preparing to represent Singapore at top international competitions. He founded the APS Swim School in Singapore.

At the 2000 World Masters Swimming Championships, Ang won the 35-39 age group 50m freestyle event.