Wong Zhi Wei

Wong Zhi Wei
Personal information
Full nameWong Zhi Wei
NationalitySingaporean
Born (2002-06-28) 28 June 2002
Height175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight70 kg (154 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle, Butterfly, Breastroke
ClassificationsS13/SB13/SM13
Medal record
Men's Para swimming
Representing  Singapore
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
ASEAN Para Games 3 4 3
Asian Youth Para Games 3 2 0
Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships 0 1 0
Total 6 7 3

Wong Zhi Wei (Chinese: 黄智伟; pinyin: Huáng Zhìwěi; born 28 June 2002) is a Singaporean freestyle, butterfly, and breastroke para-swimmer. In 2017, at the 2017 Asian Youth Para Games held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wong won the first gold medal for Singapore,[1] and subsequently went on to become the most bemedaled Singaporean athlete at the games.[2]

In 2019, Wong was diagnosed with Stage 5 Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and received a kidney transplant in 2020.[3] Returning to sport in 2021, Wong participated in and won gold medals at the 2022 ASEAN Para Games held in Surakarta, Indonesia,[4] as well as at the 2023 ASEAN Para Games held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.[5]

Early life and education

Wong is blind in his right eye and has 6/60 vision in his left.[6] The youngest of three children, he studied at Catholic High School[7] and Eunoia Junior College, and graduated in 2020 after completing the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level.[8]

In 2021, Wong studied Psychology at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science in Psychology with Honours (Distinction) in 2026.[9]

Swimming career

Wong started swimming competitively at the age of 13. In 2017, he joined ART Aquatics under the Singapore National Para-Swimming Team and met his current coach, Roland Tan.[10]

2017 ASEAN Para Games

At the 2017 ASEAN Para Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, out of his 3 events, Wong won one silver medal in the Men's S13 100-metre Freestyle and one bronze medal in the Men's S13 50-metre Freestyle.[11]

2017 Asian Youth Para Games

At the 2017 Asian Youth Para Games held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wong won the first gold medal for Singapore in the Men's S13 100-metre Butterfly.[1] Wong would later win two more gold medals in the Men's S13 100-metre Freestyle and 400-metre Freestyle, becoming the most bemedaled Singaporean athlete at the games with three gold medals and two silver medals.[12]

2018 Asian Para Games

At the 2018 Asian Para Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wong broke two national records in the Men's S13 100-metre Butterfly and 200-metre Individual Medley.[13]

2022 ASEAN Para Games

At the 2022 ASEAN Para Games held in Surakarta, Indonesia, Wong won two gold medals for Singapore in the Men's S13 50-metre and 100-metre Freestyle, as well as a silver medal in the Men's S13 100-metres Breastroke, becoming the most bemedaled Singaporean athlete at the games.[14]

2023 ASEAN Para Games

At the 2023 ASEAN Para Games held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wong won one gold medal, two silver medals, and two bronze medals for Singapore over 5 events, setting a new Games Records in the Men's S13 100-metre Butterfly.[5]

2022 Asian Para Games

At the 2022 Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China, Wong was chosen as Singapore's flag bearer.[15] He competed in a total of 5 events, placing 6th and breaking the national record in the Men's S13 50-metre Freestyle.[16]

2026 Commonwealth Games

At the 2026 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland, Wong became a finalist in the Men's S13 100-metre Freestyle[17] and 50-metre Freestyle[18] events, finishing in 6th and 7th respectively.

Honours

Since 2017, Wong has competed at 2 Asian Para Games, 3 ASEAN Para Games and 1 Asian Youth Para Games.

He has also received the following awards:

  • Singapore Disability Sports Award, Sportsboy of the Year: 2023[19]
  • Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards (GCTEA), Promise Award: 2019[20]

References

  1. 1 2 "Para sports: Swimmer Wong Zhi Wei wins Singapore's first gold at Asian Youth Para Games". The Straits Times. 11 December 2017. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  2. ↑ https://www.teamsingapore.sg/athletes/wong-zhi-wei
  3. ↑ Lim, Kimberly (19 June 2025). "After the Vote: Wong Zhi Wei's Vision for a Singapore That Understands Invisible Disabilities". RICE. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "Asean Para Games: Gold for Wong Zhi Wei as Singapore's swimmers earn four medals". The Straits Times. 3 August 2022. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Swimmer Wong Zhi Wei strikes gold at 2023 Asean Para Games". The Straits Times. 6 June 2023. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Para sports: From kidney transplant to national record, swimmer Wong Zhi Wei aims for success in 2023". The Straits Times. 4 March 2023. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Students treated to dazzling parade at Chingay 2015 preview". The Straits Times. 14 February 2015. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Athletes power through adversity to ace their exams". The Straits Times. 20 February 2021. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Wong, high on confidence, lets fly in APG record time". Wong, high on confidence, lets fly in APG record time. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Para sports: Singapore swimmer Wong Zhi Wei wins second gold at Asian Youth Para Games". The Straits Times. 12 December 2017. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Asean Para Games winners reap S$19,000 in cash rewards for gold medal performances". CNA. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  12. ↑ "Para sports: Record medal haul for S'pore para-athletes at Asian Youth Para Games". The Straits Times. 13 December 2017. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "$500k windfall for Singapore's medallists at Asean, Asian Para Games". The Straits Times. 22 November 2023. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Asean Para Games: Swimmer Wong wins second gold; boccia pair Toh and Gan also victorious". The Straits Times. 5 August 2022. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Hangzhou Asian Para Games kick off with opening ceremony". The Straits Times. 22 October 2023. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Team Singapore Brings Home 8 Medals from Asian Para Games - Singapore National Paralympic Council". www.snpc.org.sg. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Mediacorp Sports (24 July 2026). Singapore’s Wong Zhi Wei goes under 59 seconds in 100m freestyle S13 final | Commonwealth Games 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026 – via YouTube.
  18. ↑ Mediacorp Sports (28 July 2026). TeamsSG's Wong Zhi Wei clocks 26.83s in men’s 50m freestyle S13 final | Commonwealth Games 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026 – via YouTube.
  19. ↑ "Record-breaking number of awards unveiled at the Singapore Disability Sports Awards 2023, presented by Haw Par Corporation".
  20. ↑ "Wong Zhi Wei | Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund". Retrieved 7 July 2026.
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