Shanti Pereira keeps up hot streak to equal women’s national 200m record

Shanti Pereira, 16, clocked a time of 24.54 seconds in the 200m heats at the IAAF World Youth Championships to equal the national record set by Prema Govindan almost 29 years ago. (Photo © Bernie Lee. Used with permission)

Donetsk, Ukraine, Friday, July 12, 2013 – Shanti Pereira, who broke the women’s national 100m record at the IAAF World Youth Championships on early Thursday morning, nearly made it two in two days when she equaled the long-standing national 200m record in the opening round.

The 16-year-old clocked a time of 24.54 seconds into a slight headwind of 0.1 metres per second to finish third in her heat. The top three from each of the seven heats, as well as the next three fastest overall, qualify for the semi-finals.

The current record was set by Prema Govindan almost 29 years ago. Shanti’s previous personal best and national youth record was 24.60s, set last month at the Southeast Asia Youth meet where she won the gold medal.

Shanti’s time not only equaled the national record but also the national under-23, under-19 and junior marks. It also broke her own youth mark. All records are pending ratification by the Singapore Athletic Association.

Sweden’s Irene Ekelund, who finished fifth in the 100m final early this morning, topped the field of 53 by more than half a second in 23.02s. It is the fastest time in the world by a youth this year. Shanti’s time was the 19th fastest.

The semi-finals will be run tomorrow at 10.10 p.m. Singapore time.

Hwa Chong Institution’s Chan Sheng Yao bowed out of the pole vault qualifying round when he missed three times at 4.60m.

The 17-year-old, who holds the national record of 4.82 metres, cleared the opening height of 4.35m on his first attempt.

In order to make it to the final, he had to clear 4.85m, or be ranked in the top 12 during this round.

Women’s national 200m record progression
24.8s – Glory Barnabas; 1st Asian Championships; 20 November 1973
24.8s – Prema Govindan; SAAA All-Comers meet; 1 April 1984
24.7s – Prema Govindan; 25th National Inter-School Championships; 13 July 1984
24.6s – Prema Govindan; 25th National Inter-School Championships; 20 July 1984
24.54s – Prema Govindan; Hong Kong Junior Championships; 12 August 1984
24.54s – Shanti Pereira; 8th World Youth Championships; 12 July 2013

Shanti Pereira’s 200m personal best progression
25.89s – SAA Series 2; 20 February 2011
25.68s – 52nd National Inter-School C’ships; 25 April 2011
25.20s – 3rd ASEAN Schools Games; 3 July 2011
24.93s – 15th Asian Junior C’ships; 11 June 2012
24.92s – 4th ASEAN School Games; 1 July 2012
24.60s – 8th SEA Youth C’ships; 8 June 2013
24.54s – 8th World Youth C’ships; 12 July 2013

Singapore athletes at the 8th IAAF World Youth Championships