Sprint queen Shanti Pereira chases double-double after 100m win

Singapore sprint queen Shanti Pereira’s bid for a historic double-double at the SEA Games got off to a speedy start on Dec 11, when the 29-year-old retained her women’s 100m gold in Bangkok.

- Melvyn Teoh

Track star Shanti Pereira celebrating with the Singapore flag after claiming gold in the women's 100m SEA Games final at the Suphachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok on Dec 11. She became the first Singaporean to win the 100m and 200m golds in the 2023 edition and is now on the verge of another milestone.

(ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO)

Competing at the Suphachalasai National Stadium, she clocked 11.36sec to beat home favourite Khanonta Jirapat (11.54) and Ha Thi Thu (11.58) of Vietnam, who finished second and third, respectively.

While Pereira said she did not feel “too good” the day before in practice, her coach Luis Cunha’s advice that “you just need to come in first” worked a treat.

She said: “I didn’t think about the time too much. Of course, I wanted to do a good one, but it was really just about showing up and trying to attain my goal of defending the title no matter the timing.

“I’m happy to go to coach and give him a great hug and get ready for the 200m.”

At the 2023 edition in Cambodia, Pereira made history by becoming the first Singaporean to win the 100m and 200m golds.