Meet your coach
Swim Coach in Singapore: Jina Woo
Competitive swimming coach & former SEA Games athlete
From competing for Singapore to coaching the next generation of swimmers, Jina knows what race-day pressure feels like and what it takes to get faster.
A life in the water
Jina Woo is a competitive swimming coach in Singapore and the founder of Swimduro (2017). She currently coaches 5 swimmers from Chinese Swimming Club, teaches swimming at Rainbow Centre, and her weekly stroke correction took one 200m freestyler from 3:42 to 3:07 in about five months. See the case study →
Jina Woo (胡心旖) started competitive swimming at age 5, and it has been her passion ever since. She went on to represent Singapore in finswimming in 2003, and represented Singapore as a national swimmer from 13, and at the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand she represented Singapore in triathlon, the youngest female triathlete at the time.
She founded Swimduro to offer results-focused swim coaching for everyone from recreational swimmers to high-performance competitors. Her coaching is methodical and technique-first, with a positive, never-give-up mindset.
Outside the pool, Jina regularly answers stroke-technique questions from swimmers on an international swimming forum on Facebook, where her advice has been publicly commended. Helping swimmers become more efficient in the water is what she loves to do.
Her belief is simple: swimming should be done with the right technique from the start. When the stroke is right, swimmers go further and faster, and they enjoy it more.
Credentials
- Represented Singapore: 2007 SEA Games, Thailand (Triathlon)
- National swimmer for Singapore from age 13
- NROC registered coach (Triathlon) · SwimSafer credentialed · AUSTSWIM Teacher of Adults · Singapore Aquatics SG Coach Adaptive Swimming Teacher Course (recently completed) Details →
- Currently teaches swimming at Rainbow Centre (special education school)
- Represented Singapore: Finswimming (2003)
- Competitive swimmer since age 5
- Founder & Head Coach, Swimduro
- Currently coaching 5 swimmers from Chinese Swimming Club
- Shares stroke-technique advice on an international swimming forum on Facebook
- SG Assist community volunteer
- Former swim coordinator & coach; youth triathlon coaching experience
- Registered NROC swimming coach on SportSync (Coach level, ID I0019921)
- SG Coach Level 1 Coaching · NCAP Theory · Standard First Aid (valid to Aug 2028) See all →
Her story
From a five-year-old in the pool to coaching Singapore’s swimmers
- Age 5
Starts competitive swimming
Jina began competitive swimming at five, and the water has been her passion ever since.
- From age 13
Represents Singapore
By 13 she was representing Singapore as a national swimmer, training and travelling with the national team.
- 2003
Finswimming for Singapore
She represented Singapore in finswimming, a speed discipline that rewards an efficient, streamlined body line.
- 2007
SEA Games triathlon
At the 24th SEA Games in Thailand, Jina raced for Singapore in triathlon, the youngest female triathlete at the time.
- After racing
Becomes a swim coach
A knee injury eventually ended her competitive career, and she turned to coaching, as a swim coordinator and coach, including youth triathlon coaching.
- 2017
Founds Swimduro
In 2017 she set up her own small swim school, teaching children. Through Swimduro she now coaches competitive, club, special needs, adult and senior swimmers one-to-one at their own pool or condo.
Outside the pool
Volunteering with SG Assist
Since early in the pandemic, Jina has volunteered through SG Assist. When she is not teaching swimming, she checks the app for requests and, if her schedule allows, goes: buying daily necessities and bringing them to people’s homes, sometimes carrying 15 to 20 kg up to their doors, and on occasion escorting elderly residents to the doctor.
Her volunteering was featured in a Mediacorp television segment in 2021.
“I feel there are a lot of people in Singapore who need help. Usually I’ll do whatever I can, within my ability, to help them.”
“I have no choice; since I’m going to help people, I have to carry it.”
Verified credentials
Registered NROC swimming coach
- Registered name
- WOO XIN YI, JINA
- SportSync ID
- I0019921
- Registration
- Coach (NROC) : Swimming
- Coach level
- Coach
- Membership expiry
- 4 Jul 2029
Certificates (all Active)
- Standard First Aid Refresher
General · Expires on 30 Aug 2028 - Understanding Safe Sport as a Coach
General · No Expiry - SG Coach Level 1 Coaching
Sport specific · No Expiry - Values and Principles in Sports
Sport specific · No Expiry - National Coaching Accreditation Programme Theory
Sport specific · No Expiry
Details as listed on Jina’s public SportSync profile (Sport Singapore’s coach registry).
More coaching credentials
What each credential means, with links to the official sources.
NROC registered coach (Triathlon)
Sport Singapore’s National Registry of Coaches also lists coaches for triathlon. Triathlon NROC coaches are trained through Triathlon Singapore’s SG-Coach pathway and must hold first aid and lifesaving certification.
Official source: Triathlon Singapore: coach accreditation ↗
CoachSG / SG-Coach (formerly NCAP) certification
CoachSG is Sport Singapore’s coach-development arm. SG-Coach (formerly the National Coaching Accreditation Programme, NCAP) is the national certification every NROC coach must complete, covering coaching theory, sport science, values and safe sport.
Official source: CoachSG ↗ · NROC & SG-Coach (Sport Singapore) ↗
SwimSafer credentialed
SwimSafer 2.0 is Singapore’s national water-safety programme (Sport Singapore, run with Singapore Aquatics): six progressive stages of swimming and water-survival skills. SportSG-accredited SwimSafer instructors must also hold NROC membership, Safe Sport and Standard First Aid + AED.
Official source: SwimSafer (ActiveSG Circle) ↗ · Singapore Aquatics: SwimSafer ↗
Singapore Aquatics SG Coach Adaptive Swimming Teacher Course (recently completed)
Singapore Aquatics’ four-day theory and pool course for NROC coaches on teaching swimming to people with physical, developmental, neurological, sensory or age-related needs: adaptive techniques, safety considerations, communication, assistive equipment and an inclusive teaching approach.
Official source: MySkillsFuture: SG Coach Adaptive Swimming Teacher Course (Singapore Aquatics) ↗
AUSTSWIM Teacher of Adults
AUSTSWIM’s specialist course for teaching adult swimmers, from nervous beginners to technique improvers: adult learning, water confidence, health, medical and safety issues, and stroke development. Requires the Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety accreditation.
Official source: AUSTSWIM: Teacher of Adults ↗
In the press
Featured in an SPH Chinese newspaper
A Chinese-language feature by reporter 王佳慧 (Wang Jiahui), headlined 运动健将当义工 教长者残障者游泳 (“Athlete volunteers, teaches seniors and people with disabilities to swim”), told Jina’s story: she represented Singapore in triathlon at the 2007 SEA Games, a knee injury later ended her competitive career, and in 2017 she set up a small swim school teaching children.
It described how, when COVID-19 stopped her swim lessons, she began volunteering through the SG Assist app, offering companionship, escorts to medical appointments and grocery runs for seniors and low-income families, and how she once helped a lost elderly man who could no longer walk get safely to help.
“I have taught children with autism before, and I’ve recently started learning how to teach stroke patients to swim. Once I’ve gained the professional knowledge, I can teach people with disabilities.”
“This volunteer work is very meaningful.”
Coaching moments
At the pool with Coach Jina
Coaching philosophy
“I didn’t set any goals for him. I just said keep trying, keep working on the small details, because this will eventually work. Change your cannot to can, because everything is possible if we continue to believe.”
Jina sees herself as part of a team: the swimmer brings the determination, the club coach brings the daily training, and she fine-tunes the missing gaps. See what that looks like in race results →
Who Coach Jina coaches
One swim coach for every kind of swimmer in Singapore
Competitive swimmers
who want to drop race times alongside their club training.
Learn more →Club swimmers
including the 5 Chinese Swimming Club swimmers she currently coaches.
Learn more →Stroke correction
for swimmers of any level whose technique is holding them back.
Learn more →Squad and upgrading prep
for club upgrading timings, squad selection and school meets.
Learn more →Private 1-to-1 lessons
at your pool or condo, from $160 per session.
Learn more →Swimmers with special needs
drawing on her current teaching at Rainbow Centre.
Learn more →Seniors and rehab
gentle, technique-led sessions for mobility and strength.
Learn more →FAQ
Questions about Coach Jina
Who is Coach Jina?
Jina Woo is the founder and head coach of Swimduro. She began competitive swimming at age 5, represented Singapore from the age of 13, including finswimming in 2003, and raced for Singapore at the 2007 SEA Games (24th SEA Games, Thailand) in triathlon — the youngest female triathlete at the time.
What qualifications does Coach Jina have?
Coach Jina is a registered NROC swimming coach on SportSync (Sport Singapore’s coach registry), with SG Coach Level 1 Coaching, National Coaching Accreditation Programme (NCAP) Theory, Values and Principles in Sports, Understanding Safe Sport as a Coach and a current Standard First Aid certificate, all publicly verifiable on SportSync. She also holds NROC registration in triathlon, SwimSafer credentials, and the AUSTSWIM Teacher of Adults qualification, and recently completed Singapore Aquatics’ SG Coach Adaptive Swimming Teacher Course (for teaching swimmers with diverse needs). She currently teaches swimming at Rainbow Centre, a Singapore special education school for children with autism and multiple disabilities. See the full list with links to the official sources on her About page.
Do you coach swimmers from clubs like Chinese Swimming Club?
Yes. Coach Jina is currently coaching 5 swimmers from Chinese Swimming Club, and works with swimmers from other Singapore clubs too. She is an independent private coach, not affiliated with any club, and her sessions complement squad training.
How fast will my child see results?
Every swimmer is different and no honest coach can guarantee a time. In our published case study, a competitive 200m freestyler went from a 3:42.66 PB to 3:07 over about 5–6 months of once-a-week stroke correction, with measurable drops at almost every meet along the way.
Does private stroke correction replace my child’s swim club?
No. Coach Jina works alongside your club coach, not against them. Club training builds fitness, rhythm and race exposure; her once-a-week session fine-tunes the technical gaps a busy club coach may not have time to spot in a big squad, so your child brings better strokes back to every club session.
How much does a private swim coach cost in Singapore?
Fees from $160 per 1-hour session. Coach Jina comes to your pool or condo, so there is no travelling across the island for your swimmer. WhatsApp her with your swimmer’s level and location for an exact quote.
Where are lessons held?
At your location. Coach Jina comes to your condo pool or a public pool near you, mainly in central Singapore around Henderson and Bukit Merah, and further afield depending on availability. WhatsApp your area to check availability.
Talk to Coach Jina directly
Send Coach Jina your swimmer’s age, current club/squad, and latest race times. She will tell you honestly where the time is hiding.
Where I coach: Delta Swimming Complex · Queenstown Swimming Complex · your condo pool