Four-time Olympian Joscelin Yeo was one of eight new inductees to the Singapore Sport Hall of Fame in a ceremony held on Feb. 6.
The former competitive swimmer was recognized alongside two other athletes and five sports leaders, an honor that comes 17 years after her retirement from the sport.
The Sport Hall of Fame, established in 1985, honors Singapore’s top athletes for their achievements and services to their sport, as well as instilling national pride throughout their country. Tuesday’s induction ceremony brings the total number of Hall of Fame members to 65.
As Singapore’s only four-time Olympic swimmer, placing as high as 19th in the 200 IM in the Athens Olympics, Yeo was a notable omission from the Singapore Sport Hall of Fame for many years. She competed in four consecutive Summer Games from 1992 to 2006 after making her international debut at the age of 12 in the 1991 Southeast Asian Games.
Over the course of her career, Yeo racked up a number of medals and accolades while representing Singapore on the international stage.
Yeo clinched 40 gold medals across eight Southeast Asian Games between 1991 and 2005. She also competed in four Asian Games during her career, bringing home two bronze medals.
Having studied at both the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Texas, Yeo laid claim to a world record in the short-course meters 4×50 medley relay with three of her teammates from Cal in 2000. She also broke a host of Singaporean national records, one of which stood for 13 years before getting knocked down at the 2017 SEA Games.
Outside of the water, Yeo served as a Nominated Member of Parliament for two years before opening a swim school with her older brother Leonard.
Yeo’s induction to the Singapore Sport Hall of Fame cements her place in history as one of the country’s most successful swimmers, honoring the influence her performance in and service to the sport has had and will continue to have for years to come.
Yay, Josie?! Jawzie? Jawsey? Jozzie? Lol. I’ve never had to write it out.