S’pore Sprinter Shanti Pereira Wins SEA Games Gold Again, Sets 3 Separate Records

Shanti Wins SEA Games Gold In Women’s 200m Final, Sets Games, National & Personal Record

National sprint queen Shanti Pereira has been breaking records left, right and centre lately.

Singaporeans would thus be expecting her to continue in the same vein at the ongoing SEA Games in Cambodia.

True to form, she won gold in her event.

She also broke three separate records, shattering a Games record, national record and her own personal best.

Shanti wins SEA Games gold against 7 rivals

Shanti, 26, was in action on Monday (8 May) at the 32nd SEA Games.

According to a Facebook post by Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin, who’s with the Singapore contingent in Phnom Penh, she was competing in the Women’s 200m final at the Morodok Techo National Stadium.

Outpacing seven rivals, she came in first with a time of 22.69 seconds.

Fellow Singaporean Elizabeth-Ann Tan ended in fifth but notched a new personal best of 24.03s.

Shanti breaks 3 different records

Besides winning the gold medal, Shanti as usual broke a number of records with her run.

Firstly, her timing of 22.69s was faster than the SEA Games record of 23.01s set by Kristina Knott of the Phillippines in 2019.

Secondly, she also beat Singapore’s national record of 22.89s, set by none other than herself at the Australian Open Track and Field Championships in Brisbane on 2 Apr.

That run was the fastest timing set by an Asian woman in 2023, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

Lastly, the time is also a new personal best in the 200m for Shanti.

Shanti defends SEA Games title with gold

Shanti’s latest record-breaking run also makes her the undisputed sprint queen of Southeast Asia.

That’s because she also won the same event in the previous SEA Games held in Hanoi last year, defending her title.

While she burst into tears then, this time round she just let out a winning smile.

She told CNA that she was “really calm” going into this year’s Games, and “super pumped” to run here again.

This is the third time she has won SEA Games gold in the 200m — she first won it way back in 2015 as an 18 year old.

Shanti next in action on 10 May

Her next race will be the women’s 4x100m relay on Wednesday (10 May), then the 100m event on Friday (12 May).

We’re positive that she’ll do amazing in those events.

Congrats to Shanti for making Singapore proud time and again, and wishing her all the best and more success to come.

Men’s swimming team also won gold & set record

Monday (8 May) was a record-breaking day for Singapore in a totally different sport, too.

According to Mr Tan, Singapore’s swimmers also won gold in the Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay final.

The team comprising Quah Zheng Wen, Nicholas Rui Karsten Mahabir, Teong Tzen Wei and Jonathan Tan came in first with a time of 3 minutes and 37.45s — a new SEA Games and national record as well.

Thailand and Indonesia came in second and third, respectively.

Congrats to the boys and good job in blowing the competition out of the water again.

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Featured image adapted from Tan Chuan-Jin on Facebook and Singapore National Olympic Council on Facebook.