No time to waste for Singapore's Shanti Pereira as she guns for World Championships qualification

SINGAPORE: Less than 48 hours after touching down in Singapore, Shanti Pereira was back at Changi Airport again.

If every millisecond on the track is precious to the Singapore sprinter, time off it is no less valuable.

Speaking to CNA from Germany, Pereira was gearing up for her next big task - to qualify for the World Championships in September.

But first comes recovery from an "intense" week in May where she clinched two silver medals, registered a season's best and clocked a national record at the Asian Championships in South Korea.

"It was a really good outing, really happy about it, and excited for what's to come,"the 28-year-old said.

"This process can be pretty intense, and takes a lot out of you, but definitely enjoying the journey, enjoying everything about it."

Pereira went into the Asian Championships as defending champion in the 100m and 200m events. But much has passed since she clinched that historic sprint double in 2023.

At the Hangzhou Asian Games later that year, she won the 200m - Singapore’s first athletics gold medal at that level since 1974.

Days before that, Pereira already ended Singapore’s nearly 50-year wait for an Asiad track and field medal, with silver in the 100m.

Then, a stress injury to her fibula in early 2024 resulted in her missing her debut in the elite Diamond Leaguecompetition in China, as well as the chance to race in two major meets in Japan among other events.

It also set her back on preparations for the Paris Olympics from July to August that year. In her second Games campaign, Pereira did not make it past the 100m and 200m heats.

"(It was) probably one of the tougher years. Just because coming off of 2023 with such good momentum, and then suddenly like boom, injury," she said.

"Gaining that