S’pore Open a vital test

SINGAPORE — At the previous South-east Asian (SEA) Games, Singapore have not featured prominently among the medals in track and field.

But the recent record-breaking form of several of the national side’s women athletes suggests that Singapore, the hosts of this year’s SEA Games, could put up a much stronger showing. This weekend’s 77th Singapore Open Track and Field Championships at the National Stadium could provide a glimpse of what to expect this June.

Hurdler Dipna Lim-Prasad was first on the record books for the women, setting a new national mark of 59.86sec in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Sydney Track Classic on March 14.

Five days later, high jumper Michelle Sng marked her return after a three-year layoff — she had quit in 2010 due to injuries before returning to training in late 2013 — with a jump of 1.84m at the Philippines Open to better her previous mark of 1.80m set in July 2006.

Pole vaulter Rachel Yang, who had taken time off from training and competition to give birth to her son, also set a national mark of 3.83m at last weekend’s Malaysian Open to earn a qualifying spot at the SEA Games.

And with only two months to the June 5 to 16 SEA Games, this weekend’s Singapore Open will be a vital test for them to see where they stand against their biggest regional rivals.

For Sng, she will be keeping a close watch on her peers from Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, particularly Thailand’s Wanida Boonwan, the silver medallist at the 2013 Myanmar Games.

“Thailand will definitely put up a good fight, especially Wanida as her best jump is 1.92m and she will be a formidable opponent,” said Sng, 27, yesterday.

“The stadium’s Mondo track is very hard and very fast and it’s something all jumpers must adapt to. I spoke to my coach (Chan See Huey) after the Philippines Open and decided to take training down a little to avoid a burn out.

“This will be more of a training competition for me, but I want to see how everyone is jumping as well.

“We are all gearing towards the SEA Games, and this time athletes will be trying to do a small peak, and leave the big one to the Games. That we are doing season’s and personal bests means we are on the right track.”

While a muscle strain has forced Lim-Prasad out of the Singapore Open, rising young sprinter Shanti Pereira will compete in the women’s 100m and 200m sprints, and the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

The 18-year-old — who holds the national record of 11.89 and 23.99 for the 100m and 200m — is relishing the chance to race in a field that includes three 100m sprinters with sub-12sec personal bests in the Philippines’ Katherine Khay Santos (11.99), Indonesia’s Serafi Anelis Unani (11.92) and Hong Kong’s Fong Yee Pui (11.93).

“We haven’t had any competitions, so the Singapore Open will help us get accustomed to the stadium’s conditions,” said Shanti, who will be making her debut at the new National Stadium.

The 77th Singapore Open, which is the final qualifying event for the SEA Games, was postponed to this week as a mark of respect to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister who passed away on March 23.

The two-day meet will feature competitors from 12 countries including Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.

Singapore Athletics’ training and selection committee will meet on Monday to confirm the final list of athletes for the SEA Games before making the submission to the Singapore National Olympic Council the next day.