Singapore’s Shanti Pereira places 2nd in her 200m heat, qualifies for semis at Commonwealth Games

SINGAPORE – Singapore sprint queen Shanti Pereira qualified for the semi-finals in a second straight event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, after finishing second in her women’s 200m heat.

Racing in Scotstoun Stadium in heat 5, the reigning Asian Games champion clocked a season’s best of 23.00sec.

Jamaica’s Lavanya Williams was first in 22.91sec, while Nigeria’s Olayinka Olajide was third in 23.62sec.

Pereira, 29, eventually ranked third out of 35 runners who completed the heats, claiming one of the semi-final berths offered to the 17 quickest athletes who competed in round 1 of the event.

They will be joined by the top eight seeds, who received a bye into the semi-finals under new rules introduced at these Commonwealth Games.

Pereira will contest the semi-finals next on July 30 (July 31, Singapore time).

She said: “I’m very satisfied, I’m very pleased with the performance – 23-flat is a season’s best so considering how little the turnaround time was from yesterday to today, I’m really pleased.

“I just found out I’m in the semis, so that’s a great confidence boost and I’m really happy I get to rest before that.”

Earlier in the meet, she had qualified for the 100m semi-finals in a season’s best of 11.24sec, but missed a berth in the final after placing 14th overall with her time of 11.40sec in the semi-finals on July 28.

Having produced an encouraging performance in the 100m heats, Pereira had wanted to replicate that in the semi-finals, but the wet and rainy conditions made it challenging.

Despite this, she was still happy with her showing and did her best to get as much rest as possible before returning to action in the 200m.

“These Games I did want to do well for both (the 100m and 200m) and I do feel a sense of calm because I do believe in all the training I’ve done and my and coach’s (Luis Cunha) ability to show up when it matters the most,” said Pereira.

“I want to run my heart out and try to get to the final.”

At the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, Pereira qualified for the semi-finals in the 100m and 200m – she bettered both national marks – and competed in the women’s 4x100m relay heats. 

Singapore’s representatives in the men’s 200m – Marc Louis, Reuben Lee and Harry Curran – did not progress to the semi-finals.

Louis placed 24th overall with a season’s best of 20.97sec, while Lee (21.43sec) and Curran (22.19sec) were 34th and 52nd respectively.

In the men’s 50m freestyle S7 heats, Singapore’s Toh Wei Soong’s bid for a third medal received a boost as he placed second in 29.44sec, behind South Africa’s Christian Sadie, who stopped the clock in a Games record of 28.45sec.

England’s Bruce Dee was third after touching the wall at the Tollcross Swimming Centre in 31.50sec.

Toh, who has a bronze and silver from the previous two editions of the quadrennial event, will contest the final later on July 29 (July 30, 3.16am Singapore time).