'She always fights to the end': Shanti Pereira's Asian Games triumph as told by those who know her best
Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira won the 200m gold and clinched the 100m silver in this year's Asian Games.
Clarence and Jeet Pereira (left) and their daughter, Shanti Pereira (right). Shanti Pereira won the women’s 200m at the Asian Games on Oct 2, 2023. (Photos: CNA/Matthew Mohan, AP/Vincent Thian)
HANGZHOU, China: It was an Asian Games gold medal won by Singapore's sprint queen Shanti Pereira, but a victory shared by many – in particular, her parents, her coach Luis Cunha and her boyfriend Tan Zong Yang.
After bursting across the finish line at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium on Monday (Oct 2) to win the women’s 200m final, Pereira took a moment to savour the victory before turning back down the track with a Singapore flag in hand.
There was a group of people she had to acknowledge: The ones who had been in her corner through thick and thin.
"I knew I had supporters there, so I ran down," she told reporters breathlessly after the race.
China's Li Yuting took the silver with 23.28s and Bahrain's Edidiong Ofonime Odiong came third at 23.48s. Odiong's compatriot, Salwa Eid Naser, was disqualified for a false start.
This was Singapore’s first athletics gold medal since 1974, when Chee Swee Lee won the women’s 400m.
In the stands, her parents Clarence and Jeet looked on.
"So proud, so proud to see that (race). I just got emotional," said Clarence, in the stands with his signature hat. "What we hoped for her to do, she did ... I'm still in a daze."
"Waiting for the event to take place was really nerve wracking, prayers were really important," added Jeet. "She did well for all of us. I'm really proud of her."
One pillar of support has been Pereira's boyfriend, who is a former national runner.
"To be honest, at 50m when I saw her pulling away, I was half sure she was going to win," said Tan. "She's very strong, and I know she always fights to the end."
On Saturday, Pereira ended her country's nearly 50-year wait for a track and field medal at the Asian Games, after she clinched silver in the women’s 100m.
SACRIFICES OVER THE YEARS
The Singaporean sprinter has overcome much to get to where she is today.
She first burst into the nation's consciousness at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games when she took gold in the 200m, clocked a personal best and set a new national record. Her win also ended a 42-year gold medal drought for Singapore in a SEA Games sprint event.
But with it came the enormity of expectations. Coupled with injuries, some people wrote Pereira off over the next few years.
The negativity ate her up, Pereira said. It got to the point that there were times when she was no longer excited to compete or train. Instead, what she felt was fear.
But she never gave up.
"I have no words. Everyone knows she's been through quite a bit," said Tan, who has known Pereira for more than 10 years. The couple got together in 2021.
"I've seen how much sacrifice she's put in through these years and also her parents, and also with coach Luis (Cunha). I think everybody will just celebrate this."
Her coach has been instrumental in her journey. In a previous interview with CNA, Pereira said that listening to his advice and following his guidance has made a difference for her this season.
But Cunha is keen to give his charge the credit.
"I feel blessed to be part of her journey. This is her journey, I'm just helping her. She's the one out there running, not me," he said. "Of course, I try to do my best."
A QUIET CONFIDENCE
In May this year, Pereira became the first Singaporean woman to win both the 100m and 200m events at the same edition of the SEA Games; she then followed that up with a sprint double at the Asian Athletics Championships in July.
In August, Pereira was the first Singaporean to make a World Championships semi-finals after a stellar showing in the 200m. She also met the qualifying mark for the event at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
"It was pretty much impossible to ask for more (from her this season)," said Cunha.
"I'm very happy to be part of her fantastic journey. I think it's a journey that is inspiring – not only to people from athletics – but also from other sports."
Before the Games, Jeet noticed her daughter's confidence.
"I usually ask her: 'Are you ready? How do you feel?' Because there are a lot of expectations, and her reply was that she was ready," she said.
"I did worry a lot for her but I could see that she has matured so much and she's very confident and believes in herself a lot, with the help of her coach. I'm so proud of her that she has reached this level."
Cunha hopes that Singaporeans will be inspired by her "unbelievable" feat.
"The last time Singaporean earned a medal was (nearly) 50 years ago. It's not like we are used to getting medals," said Cunha.
"This is something unbelievable and I feel that Singaporeans can look at her and feel: 'Ok she's one of us' and make people proud."
Pereira said: "I have so many people to thank – everyone knows who they are."
