Junie Sng Poh Leng, (; born 6 June 1964) is a Singaporean former

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

. She was a three-time double winner of the SNOC Sportswoman of the Year and the Sportsgirl of the Year awards in 1978, 1979 and 1980. Sng was awarded the

Public Service Star The Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (English: Public Service Star) is a Singaporean decoration instituted in 1963, is awarded to any person who has rendered valuable public service to the people of Singapore, or who has distinguished themselves in the ...

for her contributions to sports in 1982. She was ranked seventh in a list of ''Singapore's 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century'' by ''

The Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' is an English-language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore and currently owned by SPH Media Trust (previously Singapore Press Holdings). ''The Sunday Times'' is its Sunday edition. The newspaper was established ...

'' in 1999. At the age of 11, Sng first represented Singapore at the

1975 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games The 1975 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, officially known as the 8th Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Bangkok, Thailand from 9 to 16 December 1975. This was the third time Thailand hosted the g ...

, where she won a gold and silver medal. In March 1977, she set a national record with a time of 4:39.9 in the 400-meter freestyle. At the

1977 Southeast Asian Games The 1977 Southeast Asian Games ( ms, Sukan Asia Tenggara 1977), officially known as the 9th Southeast Asian Games, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 19 to 26 November 1977. This was the third time Malay ...

in November, Sng won five gold medals and a silver as she broke six meet and two

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until t ...

records. Sng became the first female swimmer to win gold for Singapore and the youngest gold medalist in a women's event in

history when she set a new Games record time of 4:31.35 in the 400-meter freestyle on 14 December 1978. A day later, she broke the Games record with a time of 9:18.33 in the 800-meter freestyle to clinch another gold medal. Sng finished the 1978 Games with two gold and one silver medal. At the

1979 Southeast Asian Games The 1979 Southeast Asian Games ( id, Pesta Olahraga Asia Tenggara 1979), officially known as the 10th Southeast Asian Games, was a subcontinental multi-sport event held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 21 to 30 September 1979. This was the first ti ...

, Sng broke three games and three national records on her way to claiming five golds, two silvers and a bronze. Sng won seven gold medals at the 1981 Games. The 1983 Southeast Asian Games held in Singapore was Sng's final competition before she retired at her peak. She broke the nine-minute barrier, clocking an Asian record time of 8:59.46 in the 800-meter freestyle as she won a total of ten gold medals. Sng and her family emigrated in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Australia after she retired from swimming to focus on her university studies. She graduated with an applied science degree from the

Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a public research university located in the urban coastal city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. QUT is located on two campuses in the Brisbane area viz. Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove. The univ ...

in 1987. As of 2014, Sng is working as an IT specialist. She has two sons, Zachary and Sebastien, with her husband, Geoff Holden.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sng, Junie 1964 births Living people Singaporean female freestyle swimmers Singaporean people of Chinese descent Asian Games medalists in swimming Swimmers at the 1978 Asian Games Medalists at the 1978 Asian Games Singaporean emigrants to Australia Queensland University of Technology alumni Recipients of the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat Asian Games gold medalists for Singapore Asian Games silver medalists for Singapore SEA Games medalists in swimming SEA Games gold medalists for Singapore SEA Games silver medalists for Singapore Competitors at the 1975 SEAP Games Competitors at the 1977 SEA Games Competitors at the 1979 SEA Games Competitors at the 1981 SEA Games Competitors at the 1983 SEA Games 20th-century Singaporean women