BANGKOK, THAILAND — Singapore’s own “sprint queen”, Shanti Pereira, made national history on Friday as she clinched the coveted gold medal in the women’s 100m final at the Asian Athletics Championships held at the Suphachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok.
The 26-year-old Pereira stunned the spectators by clocking an impressive 11.20 seconds, notwithstanding a slightly slower start.
Pereira’s blistering sprint saw her triumph over her stiffest competitors, Iran’s Farzaneh Fasihi, who secured the silver with a timing of 11.39 seconds, and China’s Ge Manqi, who took home bronze at 11.40 seconds.
Pereira’s record-breaking sprint didn’t just earn her the gold; she also shaved 0.06 seconds off her own national record, setting a new benchmark for future competitors in Singapore.
This victory is all the more significant as it brings an end to a 16-year medal drought for Singapore at the Asian Athletics Championships.
The last Singaporean athlete to climb the podium at this esteemed event was pole vaulter Rachel Yang, who won silver back in 2007.
Pereira’s winning streak isn’t confined to the Asian Athletics Championships alone. In May, she carved a place for herself in the history books by becoming the first Singaporean woman to achieve the sprint double at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia. She triumphed in both the 100m and 200m races.
