HANGZHOU – Just as she was making her way out of the mixed zone after winning an Asian Games 100m silver medal on Saturday, Shanti Pereira spotted her coach Luis Cunha and turned back to share an emotional hug with him.
It was a moment that meant the world to the duo. Just minutes ago, the teary-eyed Pereira had finished second in the women’s 100m final at the Hangzhou Games after clocking 11.27 seconds.
The Singaporean, 27, was just 0.04sec behind the winner, China’s Ge Manqi. Bahrain’s Hajar Alkhaldi was third in 11.35sec.
Pereira’s silver at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium was the Republic’s first athletics medal at the competition since the 1974 Games in Teheran, Iran, where Singapore won a gold, a silver and two bronzes.
Speaking to reporters after the race, Pereira said: “It just feels incredible – I knew I had to give my absolute all today. I was up against really stiff competition.
“Some of them ran with me in (the Asian Athletics Championships in) Bangkok in July and they were getting better throughout the season so I knew I really had to give my 150,000 per cent today, which I’m really glad I did.”
It was indeed tough competition at the Asiad for Pereira, who had won the 100m and 200m events at the Asian championships.
China’s Ge, who was the 100m bronze medallist at July’s continental meet, had topped the heats in 11.17sec, 0.03sec faster than Pereira’s national record.
The final was a closely contested one, with Pereira and Ge, who were separated by five lanes, neck and neck throughout most of the race, before the Chinese pulled ahead at the last stretch to take the gold.
But there was no animosity between the two as Pereira headed over to congratulate Ge after the race.
She said: “I was really happy for her and just happy for myself. I was just saying just now that I was thinking when I was coming to the stadium that I started out in March and now it’s September and it’s the last 100m of the season, it’s crazy.
“It’s been an incredible journey and I just have all the people in my corner to thank – they’ve just been there with me through it all. My family, my coach, my training mates, my boyfriend, everyone who has been with me through it all, the way I live, which is honestly not easy. But I’m just incredibly blessed.”
This is the latest accomplishment for Pereira in what has been a stellar year for her.
Besides the two golds at the Asian championships, she also bagged a historic sprint double in May’s SEA Games.
At August’s World Athletics Championships, she became the first Singaporean to reach the semi-finals after clocking 22.57sec in the 200m heats, and meeting the Olympic qualifying mark.
In response to whether this was one of his most emotional nights as a coach, Cunha replied: “Number one.”
“I’m very proud and happy because it’s a medal and the last one was in 1974,” he added. “This is not only for her and me, but also for the sport and for the country.
“We all have a big motive to be happy and proud.”
Pereira’s next event is the women’s 200m, with the heats taking place on Sunday morning, just 12 hours after the 100m final.
With a short turnover, Cunha and Singapore Athletics officials made preparations so that she would be able to get as much rest as possible before the 200m heats. They ensured that the physiotherapist was at the stadium and also brought Pereira’s food along.
Expectations have come with her performances, but Pereira is just enjoying the moment.
She said: “I see it as an opportunity and I’m just embracing it because I’ve never been in this position before and who knows when I’m going to get it again.
“I really do mean it that I’m blessed to be in this position and just have the opportunity to be here and come in with a silver medal. I’m not done – I have another event and I’m really excited.”
