Ang Peng Siong
Encyclopedia
Ang Peng Siong is a swimmer from Singapore, who once held the world no.1 ranking in the 50 m freestyle
.
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
.
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-America
n for four consecutive years from 1981-84.
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.
At the 2000 World Masters Swimming Championships, Ang won the 35-39 age group 50m freestyle event.
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
.
Biography
Ang was taught to swim at the age of five by his father Ang Teck Bee(Chinese: 洪德美), who competed in judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
at the 1964 Olympic Games
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. He studied at Anderson Secondary School
Anderson Secondary School
Anderson Secondary School is a co-educational government school in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore, covering Secondary 1 to Secondary 5 . It became an autonomous school in 1994 and was one of the pioneer autonomous schools in Singapore.-History:...
and Anglo-Chinese School
Anglo-Chinese School
The Anglo-Chinese School ; is a family of Methodist schools in Singapore, and Indonesia.The name is usually abbreviated as "ACS", with the junior college as "ACJC", and its students and alumni referred to as "ACSians" , or "ACS boys" .ACS was the first school...
.
Ang first represented Singapore at the 1977 Southeast Asian Games
1977 Southeast Asian Games
The 9th Southeast Asian Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 19 November - 26 November 1977. Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines were finally admitted into the SEAP Games Federation in February that year...
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, where he was a silver medalist in the 4 x 100 m freestyle relay.
His first major international competition was the Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
International Invitational Swimming Championship, an event which included many top swimmers from countries that boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. 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
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
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. Ang also represented Singapore at the 1982 Asian Games1982 Asian Games
The 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:...
in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, 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
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
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-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n for four consecutive years from 1981-84.
1984 Olympics and after
Ang represented Singapore at the 1984 Olympic Games1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, 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
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Ang finished fourth in the 50 m freestyle.
In eight appearances at the Southeast Asian Games
Southeast Asian Games
The Southeast Asian Games , is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia...
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.