APS.  Has two meanings in Singapore.

APS is the famous Ang Peng Siong.   He held the world swimming record in 1982 in the 50 Meter freestyle with a time of 22:69.  He was all set to go to the Olympic games in Moscow and represent Singapore, but that year the Olympics were boycotted.  He was disappointed, yes, but you know that when one door closes, another opens, right?  So instead of the Olympics,  the top swimmers went to Hawaii to have a meet there, and Ang was the only non-American to make the top 8 final heat in the 50 freestyle.  The swim community took notice, and right then and there he was offered a scholarship to the University of Houston.

As he continued to tell me this story, he went on to talk about how he was only 18, in a foreign country, trying to figure things out, trying to learn how the Americans ran their swimming, was struggling … just as we Blinkmans living in Singapore.  This great man related his own life story to mine!

APS is also Aquatic Performance Swim Club  here in Singapore , which Ang Peng Siong started & runs.

I met him when we first landed in Singapore, when I was checking out swim clubs, and again in January.  He is one of the kindest, most warm hearted, humblest gentlemen I have ever met.  He denies that he is famous, waves me away when I fuss over him.

I am proud to call him my friend!!  I took this self of him & I at the SNAG meet in March.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ang_Peng_Siong