Singapore (Common Wealth) _ Singapore’s national sprinter Shanti Pereira ran the 100 meters in 11.26 seconds, breaking her own national record, on Sunday at the 58th International Pentecost Sport Meeting in Rehlingen, Germany. She came in second place against Luxembourg’s Patrizia van der Weken, who sprinted to the finish line in 11.12 seconds.
In 2023, she broke records in Australia, New Zealand, and Cambodia. Now, the 26-year-old has brought her world-beating prowess to Europe, where her most recent accomplishment astounded even her.
Shanti’s 100-meter time is the fastest for an Asian woman. Additionally, it was her second national record in a day following her 11.34-second heat record, which she surpassed with a time of 11.37 February in Brisbane.
Since March, she has already fallen short of her own 200-meter benchmark three times and revised her 100-meter mark five times.
“I am still shivering knowing that I ran 11.26 and under 11.30 seconds. In a phone conversation with The Straits Times, Pereira remarked, “I am startled, but also extremely thrilled.
“My coach and I have been focusing on trying to get better from the middle to the conclusion of the race, so I’m delighted I carried out what I wanted to during the races.
“Yes, I am shocked, but given the training and how I had been feeling, I was looking at low 11.30. Additionally, I thought I was in shape to set a new personal record.
Pereira spent a few days in Singapore with her family after winning a historic 100-meter and 200-meter double at the Cambodia SEA Games before departing for a training and competitive trip in Germany.
Before arriving in Singapore on June 21 to train for the July 12–16 Asian Athletics Championships and the Hangzhou Asian Games from September 23–October 8, she will also compete in Switzerland and France.
She intends to maximize her time in Europe. She continued, comparing the environment in Bungert Stadium to a fair: “The environment here is nice and competing against competitors who are all eager to have fun always helps.
I’m trying to enjoy myself, the present, and the chance to be here.
The “very high” level of competition in European events, along with the training facilities and track conditions, will allow Pereira to advance even further, according to her coach Luis Cunha, who anticipates her to run faster times.
“She needs this kind of competition, and the added benefit is that you can compete in Europe and earn even more points for the global rankings,” he said. You can see the difference in the level of competition by comparing the 40 points she received at the SEA Games to the 90 points she can earn here.
Every time she runs, we look for ways to speed up the process so that she can become faster.
Elizabeth-Ann Tan, another national sprinter, had a weekend to remember after setting a new personal best time of 24.63 to win gold in the women’s 200m at the Taiwan Athletics Open.
Soh Rui Yong placed second in Taiwan on Saturday in the 10,000-meter race after winning silver in Phnom Penh in 31 minutes and 25.25 seconds.
