Cindy Ong Pik Yin is a Malaysian competitive swimmer. She has been swimming competitively since 1989. She is a World Masters Champion.
Early life Ong was born in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. She is the younger sibling of Allen Ong, Malaysian former swimmer, and niece of Ong Mei Lin, who was one of Malaysia's first female swimmers to represent the country in the Olympics.
Career
Swimming Training and competing throughout pregnancy, she clinched second place at the Malaysia Masters Speedo International Championship despite being 8 months pregnant.
In 2017, Ong competed in her first World Masters Championship.
Seven months following the delivery of her third child, she competed among 9,000 participants in the 2017 FINA World Masters in Budapest, Hungary, placing 5th in the 100m Freestyle event.
She achieved the title of World No.1 in the 2020 FINA World Masters 50 meter Freestyle race.
Ong is currently ranked No. 2 in the 100 meter Butterfly, out touched by Spain's Erika Villa.
Coach Ong is also a certified swimming coach. Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) Level 2 Swimming Coach Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) Certified Swimming Instructor National Sports Council of Malaysia (NSC) Level 2 Sports Science Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) Technical Official Grade 3 Life Saving Society Malaysia (LSSM) Bronze Medallion Life Saving Society of Malaysia Certificate of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (LSSM CPR) International Life Saver (ILS) Ex-head coach, Stingray Swimming Club (2006–2011)
Accolades She was presented with the title of Perak's Sportswoman of the Year in 2005, in recognition of breaking 5 Malaysia national records, winning 6 gold medals and bagging the Best Sportswoman title at the 2004 SUKMA Games.
For all of these, and for her significant contribution to the overall Malaysian swimming sport, Ong was awarded the Pingat Pekerti Terpilih title in 2006.
In the 2004 Sukma Games, Ong won 6 gold medals, contributed 12.8% of the medal tally for Perak and was awarded the Best Sportswoman Award.
In the 2019 FINA World Masters Championship in Gwangju, South Korea, Ong won 5 gold and 2 silver medals from that championship.
Shortly after, she was recognized by The Malaysia Book of Records for the Most Gold Medals Won by an Individual Swimmer in a World Masters Championship (FEMALE) in 2019.
Advocacy and safe sport Ong has been an advocate for athlete welfare and safe sport, particularly following her public disclosures in 2021 regarding sexual harassment in competitive swimming.
In 2025, she was invited by UNESCO to participate in a global consultation on developing policy standards for inclusive, equitable, and safe sport. She was the first and only Malaysian selected to join a focus group of international athletes and experts contributing to the framework.
The consultation, conducted in collaboration with the Sport & Rights Alliance, aimed to incorporate athlete perspectives into global safeguarding policies and standards.
Education Ong was awarded the Drury Academic Honor Scholarship and obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Psychology & Sociology from Drury University, Missouri, United States.
She later completed a PhD in Interdepartmental Studies, majoring in Sport Science (Swimming), at a university in Paris, France. Her graduation was confirmed in 2026.
Personal life Ong was married to an Asian American. She has three children: Hayden, Kiara, and Connor. https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2023/11/977853/now-single-cindy-back-game-eyes-2025-world-masters-championships#:~:text=The%20divorce%2C%20initiated%20in%202020,It%20is%20a%20big%20relief. The couple divorced in 2023 following proceedings that began in 2020, which included custody arrangements for their children.
Sexual Assault
In May 2021, Ong came forward on how she had encountered sexual harassment and assault over the years, including from a national coach when she was a teenager. After this was shared, then the former Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican ordered his officers and the National Sports Council (NSC) to contact and assist Ong and help lodge a police report about the acts committed on Ong. Ong decided not to pursue a case against the coach or publicly name him as she believed too much time has passed. Ong is now an advocate for anti sexual harassment and wishes to be a catalyst of change for others.
Searching a missing plane
Ong's grandfather was reported to be one of the first Malaysians to own a private airplane. However, the current status and the condition of the airplane are unknown. Ong is now actively searching for the plane's current whereabouts.
Prominent awards and rankings +YearAwardCategoryResultReferencesAll Time Top 10 FINA Masters World Ranking 50m Butterfly Long Course 35-39 age-group 2020Japan Masters National Record Holder 50m freestyleFastest, 26.71100m butterfly Second fastest, 1:04.312019FINA World MastersMultiple Gold MedalistMalaysia Book of Records for Most Gold Medals Won by Individual Swimmer in World Masters Championship (FEMALE)World Masters Rankings50m Butterfly Long Course2nd100m Butterfly Long Course1stRelay 160-199 Mixed Freestyle Long Course1stRelay 160-199 Mixed Medley Long Course2nd50m Butterfly Short Course3rd100m Butterfly Short Course3rd2017Japan Masters Ranking50m Freestyle Short Course1st25m Butterfly Short Course2nd50m Breaststroke Short Course 1st50m Breaststroke Short Course1st2006Pingat Pekerti Terpilih (P.P.T) Title Recognition by the Sultan of Perak, MalaysiaAwarded2005Perak SportsWoman of the yearNominated and chosen 2004SUKMA (Malaysian Games) 6 gold medals, 5 national records Awarded the Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award2001JBP (Jasa Bakti PEMADAM) by Ministry of Education & United Nations (as a role model for the young generation)Awarded title2000Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award in SUPER, (Perak Sports)
Masters Swimming +Medal RecordYearCompetitionLocationGoldSilverBronzeRecord(s)2020Tokyoto Spring Short Course MetersTokyo, 7122019Milo/PraKL Age Group Swimming Championship55SEASF Masters Swimming ChampionshipJakarta, 10210FINA World Masters ChampionshipGwangju, 52Super Renang/PIAG (Perak Invitational Age Group) Swimming Championship IpohIpoh, 2Aminovital Singapore Masters Swimming Championship8Japan Masters Swimming Sprint ChampionshipTokyo, 71Speedo Malaysia International Masters Swimming Championship (MVP of the meet)1311Indonesia Open Aquatic Championship Master SwimmingJakarta, 712018MILO/PraKL Age Group Swimming ChampionshipKuala Lumpur, 3Southeast Asia Pacific (SEAP) Singapore91Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championship1Asian Masters Swimming ChampionshipNagoya, 77Asia Pacific Masters GamesPenang, 66Singapore Masters Short Course Swimming Championship81Speedo Malaysia International Masters Swimming Championship552017Southeast Asia Pacific (SEAP) Singapore913FINA World Masters ChampionshipBudapest, Japan Masters Swimming Sprint ChampionshipTokyo, 8 Speedo Malaysia International Masters Swimming, ChampionshipKuching, Sarawak, 772016Southeast Asia Pacific (SEAP) Singapore 53Japan Masters Long Course Swimming Championship (@ 3 months pregnant) 51Singapore Masters Short Course Swimming Championship (@ 6 months pregnant) 421Speedo Malaysia International Masters Swimming Championship (@ 8 months pregnant) 2
Malaysian Amateur Swimming achievements +YearAchievements1998-2004Member of the Malaysian National TeamN/AMultiple Malaysian Records Holder1998 - 2008Participated in 5 SUKMA (Malaysian Games)2004SUKMA (Malaysian Games)
6 gold medals, 5 national records Awarded the Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award. First time in Malaysian history for a swimmer to break 5 national records in a single meetN/AQualified for Athens Olympic Games in 4 events2001Southeast Asian Games medalist, en route breaking the national record2000SUKMA (Malaysian Games) gold medal, national and meet record1999Malaysian Open gold medalist en route breaking 50m freestyle national record at age 15
Collegiate achievements in the United States YearAchievements2001-2004Drury University Athletic Scholarship recipientN/AMember of Drury University's Women's Varsity Swimming TeamN/ARanked top ten in 4 events in NCAA Division 2 top 50 times to dateN/ADrury University team record holder of the 100, 200 Butterfly, 4 x 50 Freestyle Relay and 4 x 50 Medley RelayN/ANCAA Division 2 Championship qualifier – individual and team2004US National Champion & record holder in 200 Butterfly in NCAA Division 2 Swimming & Diving Championship2004Drury University's MVP Women's Program2003-2004Nominated and chosen as National Swimmer of the Week by collegeswimming.com twice in a season2002-2004Participated in varsity Conference and NCAA Division 2 Swimming & Diving Championship2002-2004Drury Panther Honor Roll2002-200418 times NCAA 2 All-American honor by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America2002-20048 times Conference (one of NCAA's conferences) Champion2002-2003Outstanding swimmer of the meet at Christmas Invitational at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock2002NCAA Division 2 Championship silver medal 200 fly
References