Hangzhou 2022: “Execute, execute, execute” as history-maker Shanti Pereira ascends Asian summit

By Jeremiah Ong

She has had the answers to every test she faced this season, claiming sprint doubles at May’s SEA Games, July’s Asian Athletics Championships and even an unprecedented World Championships 200m semifinal berth in Budapest.

And today (Oct 2), in front of a packed Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, Shanti Pereira passed the final and most important test of her season, snagging the gold in the women’s 200m final.

In a crowded mixed zone swarmed with reporters, Pereira paid little heed to the time limit on interviews.

“I have a lot to say, I won, I want to speak,” the affable Pereira said to her chaperones in Mandarin.

Pereira takes a victory lap after a stunning sprint in the 200m final. (Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew)

Claiming Singapore’s first athletics gold at the Asiad since Chee Swee Lee’s 400m title in 1974, Pereira was at a loss for words on her earlier heroics.

“I don’t know man, I just crossed the finish line, I knew I won. And I was like, ‘What a season, it’s been so crazy’.”

Choking on tears, she added: “It means a lot, it really means a lot. I never thought I would be here. But I am. So, yeah, I can't really describe how I am feeling right now. Just feel so much joy. I have so many people I want to thank, everyone knows who they are. It's been incredible.”

Pereira shedding tears on the top step of the podium. (Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew)

The republic’s undisputed sprint queen came into the finals in red-hot form as the quickest in qualifying (23.14sec).

In the final, she would only take off on the second time of asking as Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser was disqualified after a false start.

But this did little to distract the 27-year-old. 

“When I was walking out (of the tunnel), it was just like execute, execute, execute. And this meant every aspect of my race.

“When I got off the blocks, I was just trying to execute my bend because I do some cuts every now and then, so I was trying to do that, just focus on that,” she added.

And so she executed.

Getting off to a fine start, Pereira approached the bend having already created a sizable gap on her competitors. 

“I just had to focus on blurring them out and just attacking my curve and coming out to the straight as strong as possible,” she added.

Pereira, ahead of the pack, as she runs down the final straight. (Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew)

With Asian Championships bronze medallist Li Yuting and reigning Asiad Champion Edidiong Ofonime Odiong on either side, Pereira remained unfazed and blitzed down the straight to cross the line first.

Her 23.03s sprint was a quarter of a second quicker than her nearest competitor, Li, while Odiong settled for bronze.

Despite a comprehensive victory, the road to Asiad gold was one fraught with doubts for Pereira, who had never imagined she would win the coveted gold.

Having only turned full-time athlete in January, she said: “I just, always, no matter what downs I had, I just kept going just because I knew that this is what I wanted to do, this is what I love to do, to hopefully one day be in this kind of position.”

“(To be in) this exact position? Never thought about it. But in this era, I've always dreamed of it and yeah I'm here and living it and yeah it's just, it's been amazing.”

Starting her athletics journey as early as in Primary 3, the Olympian had only recently renewed her love for the sport.

“Just a lot of respect for everybody out there. I guess we're all on this very, very incredible journey of racing and just finding ourselves as well. So I think that was a big thing that happened to me.” 

“I really fell in love with this sport, I think (around) last year to this year. Again. And just embracing every opportunity I get, including this one, getting to run in the final. In 2018, I wasn't even in the final,” she said, holding back tears.

As she left reporters for her victory ceremony, Pereira had one final thank you to her doubters. 

“You know what, thank you, you made me stronger.”

Pereira posing with her Asiad gold medal, a first for athletics since 1974. (Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew)

In the day’s other athletics action, Rachel Yang equalled her season’s best with a 3.40m leap in the women’s pole vault final to finish 10th out of an 11-woman field.

Ang Chen Xiang finished eight in the men’s 100m hurdles final after he clocked 13.89s, milliseconds away from his 13.84s national record set at the Cambodia SEA Games in May. He is also the first Singaporean male to qualify for the final in this event since Osman Merican in 1966.

In other track and field qualifiers, the quartet of Mark Lee, Joshua Chua, Calvin Quek and Marc Louis came seventh (39.70s) out of 14 to book a place in the men’s 4x100m relay final on Tuesday (Oct 3).

Quek, a SEA Games medallist, was unable to advance in the men's 400m hurdles heats earlier that day, as he finished in 17th place out of 20 with a time of 51.26 seconds. 

The men’s 4x100m relay team posing after they earned a spot in the final. (Photo: SportSG/ Alfie Lee)

Also progressing to the finals was high jumper Kampton Kam, who finished seventh out of 17 jumping a season's best of 2.15m. The last time Team Singapore had an Asian Games High Jump finalist was the current National Record holder Wong Yew Tong in 1994 Hiroshima Games. Kampton will return to the track to compete on Wednesday (Oct 4).

The 19th Asian Games are held in Hangzhou, China from 23 September to 8 October 2023. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.