Everyone is proud of Shanti Pereira these days for having won the gold at the 200m event at the SEA Games in Hanoi last Saturday (May 14), including Workers’ Party Member of Parliament Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC). Aside from winning, she also set a new national record of 23.52s in the race, giving Singapore its fifth gold medal.
Associate Prof Lim wrote in a Facebook post on May 15 that Ms Pereira’s win came “amidst an extended period of wandering in the (metaphorical) wilderness, as she was plagued by a sense of inadequacy, and a feeling that she was ‘over the hill’.”
Singapore’s Sprint Queen had told reporters after bagging the gold, “I really had to like focus the hell out of the race; there was so much of doubt going into it but I really just tuned out everything and I told myself I will give absolutely everything today.
There were so many mental barriers I had to break in order to reach this place.”
She narrowly edged out the Philippines Kyla Ashley Richardson, who finished second at 23.56s. Her sister, Kayla Anise Richardson, took the bronze in 23.87s.
Assoc Prof Lim commented that how Ms Pereira felt is “absolutely human,” but pointed out that there are things to learn from her example.
“But what Shanti has demonstrated is that such self-doubt need not cripple our ability to go out there and give of our best, and to possibly surprise ourselves by what we can achieve.
Whether we are 25 (as Shanti is) or 52 or whatever age multiple we find ourselves at, success is about infusing ourselves with a desire to surpass just the high standards we set for ourselves. And to find peace within, whatever the ultimate outcome.”
The runner, who holds the national record for the 100 metres (11.80s), had taken home the gold for the 200-meter event in 2015 and placed third in the event in 2017 and 2019’s SEA Games.
She told The Straits Times on Saturday, “I’ve been through a lot in the past seven years. It’s been tough, I’m not going to lie, especially in the past two years, where there has been a lot of self-doubt. There was pressure from myself and from around me that made me think I wasn’t good enough to be at that standard anymore. And I kind of let it eat into me, which made the whole process even worse….
I have people who believe in me, people who matter, and that’s really all that counts.”
The WP MP connected Ms Pereira’s win to Vesak Day, which this year falls on May 16, writing, “This recognition of how we are constantly changing (anātman), and how life is itself in constant flux (anitya), also animates two central tenets of Buddhist philosophy. These ideals were espoused by Gautama Buddha, whose life, death, and teachings we celebrate on Vesak day, today. So while we revel in our sportsmen and women’s success on the ASEAN stage, may we also find our own path to meaning and enlightenment.”
/TISG
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