100 years ago, the Tanjong Katong Swimming Party was renamed the Chinese Swimming Club – and what turned out to be a fellowship of nine swimmers quickly evolved to become an institution in the East Coast of Singapore. Today, the club boasts a new building with up-to-date facilities like a gym and swimming pools, a far cry from when the swimming pool was a cordoned-off portion of the Katong Beach! yg shares his recollections about the Chinese Swimming Club, including the time when there was a Tiger Swimming Club, as well as the construction of the first olympic-sized pool.

Waitaminit, you say: A Tiger Swimming Club? Yes, and yg’s got first-hand knowledge:

today, i checked with my walking kaki if it was called tiger swimming club back in the 50s. i asked the right person. he was the one who started the tiger swimming club. it was based at haw par swimming pool in pasir panjang. he and some of his nephews played for the tiger swimming club while his other siblings represented the chinese swimming club. eventually they came together to represent the chinese swimming club. so, tiger swimming club was never at amber road.

And what about the second question: Who built the olympic-sized pool at the swimming club? For that answer, you’ll have to read yg’s blog. If you’re wondering where the Haw Par Swimming Pool is, yg also blogs about it here.