Part 1
Written by Amir Rusyaidi Osman
Edited by Emmy Kwan
SEA Games
BREAKDOWN
9 Months Out: SPRINTS
100m
Published 7 March 2025
Singapore’s fastest man and woman in history need no introduction. Veronica Shanti Pereira and Marc Brian Louis are more than just national record holders—they are SEA Games medalists, championship performers, and the dominant forces in their respective events. When they step onto the track, they don’t just race—they command attention.
Both grappled with injuries in 2024, their seasons punctuated by frustration and setbacks. But champions are defined not by their stumbles, but by their comebacks. With a clean slate in 2025, Shanti and Marc will undoubtedly return hungry for success, their sights set on reclaiming their place among the region’s best. Barring any unforeseen setbacks, their SEA Games spots are all but guaranteed.
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For the second women’s slot, the picture is far clearer. Elizabeth-Ann Tan remains the nation’s No. 2 sprinter and is the only other active Singaporean woman who has cracked 12 seconds. Her personal best of 11.74s makes her the second-fastest woman in Singapore’s history, and though there is a wave of emerging talent behind her, none have yet breached that elusive 12-second barrier. Laavinia Jaiganth and Clara Lim have shown promise, but until they can dip below 12 seconds, the second SEA Games slot belongs to Elizabeth-Ann.
On the men’s side, however, the battle for the second SEA Games slot is anything but straightforward.
With Marc Brian Louis in a league of his own, the fight for Singapore’s No. 2 spot has turned into one of the most thrilling head-to-head races of the year. Three sprinters have dipped under 10.70s in 2024, and each has a compelling case for SEA Games selection.
At just 19 years old, Ong Ying Tat has made a meteoric rise through the ranks, chopping his personal best from 11.10s (2023) to 10.68s (2024). His breakthrough performance at the Asian U20 Championships put him on the radar as one of Singapore’s most promising young sprinters, and his ability to hold his own against top-level competition makes him a serious contender. But timing is everything in sprinting—and timing may not be on his side. With National Service enlistment looming in April, his training schedule will inevitably be disrupted, raising questions about whether he can maintain or improve his form in time for the SEA Games.
Then there’s Mark Lee, the National Schools record holder and one of the country’s most naturally gifted sprinters. Even while serving full-time National Service, Mark managed to clock 10.65s at the 2024 Malaysia Open, a mere 0.06s off his lifetime best. That alone speaks volumes about his talent and raw speed. The question isn’t whether he has the ability—it’s whether he’ll have enough time post-NS to sharpen his form before the SEA Games. If he can regain his race sharpness quickly, he’ll be right in the mix.​
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But if consistency is the measure of an elite sprinter, then Daryl Tan may have the strongest case of them all. His personal best of 10.64s, set in March 2024, was the result of an exceptional year of racing, where he went under 11 seconds in all 15 World Athletics-legal races he competed in. His two sub-10.70 performances prove that his speed isn’t just a one-off—it’s reliable. And in a season where injury setbacks and National Service obligations have complicated the progress of his closest rivals, Daryl’s steadiness makes him the strongest pick for Singapore’s second SEA Games slot.
With Marc leading the charge, Daryl Tan’s remarkable consistency makes him the frontrunner for the second SEA Games spot. But with Mark Lee’s raw speed and Ong Ying Tat’s explosive rise, this battle is far from over.
200m
If dominance had a name, it would be Veronica Shanti Pereira.
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She has not only conquered Southeast Asia—she has transcended it. The reigning SEA Games, Asian Athletics, and Asian Games champion over the 200m, Shanti has rewritten what is possible for Singaporean sprinting. In 2024, she graced the Olympic stage in Paris, proving that she belongs among the world’s best. There is no debate, no discussion—her SEA Games spot is set in stone.
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While Shanti stands in a class of her own, Elizabeth-Ann Tan remains the undisputed No. 2. The 2024 season was not her best, with a 24.81s season’s best, but that doesn’t change the fact that she holds a personal best of 24.03s, making her the second-fastest 200m runner in Singapore’s history. Behind her, Laavinia Jaiganth and Clara Lim have shown promising improvements, but neither has yet cracked the 25-second barrier—a crucial mark in challenging Elizabeth for the second SEA Games spot.
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Until someone closes that gap, Elizabeth remains the clear choice to line up alongside Shanti in the 200m.
While the women’s selections are straightforward, the men’s 200m is anything but. The battle for Singapore’s two SEA Games spots is shaping up to be a collision course between pure speed and untapped potential.
At the center of it all is Reuben Rainer Lee, the 200m national record holder and arguably the greatest 200m runner Singapore has ever produced. His 21.07s national record is a mark that has stood firm, and when he is at his best, few in Singapore can challenge his raw speed and smooth sprint mechanics.
Yet, Reuben’s career has been marked by both brilliance and battles with injury. His talent is undeniable, and should everything align in 2025, he will be the man to beat. If he can stay healthy, there is no doubt—Reuben’s SEA Games spot is his to lose.
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But there is another electrifying force on the rise—Marc Brian Louis.
.Known primarily for his 100m prowess, Marc has recently turned heads by clocking the second-fastest 200m time in Singapore’s history. The moment he crossed the line, he made one thing clear—he is coming for the national record. His goal? To become the first Singaporean to break 21 seconds.
With National Service now behind him, Marc has transitioned into full-time training, and if his trajectory continues, he could push Singaporean sprinting into uncharted territory. He has made it clear—he wants that record. And if he gets it, he could very well win SEA Games gold.
While Reuben and Marc sit at the top of the selection race, a new generation is charging forward, eager to disrupt the hierarchy.
Chief among them is Mark Lee, the National Under-20 200m record holder, who has clocked 21.54s and 21.55s—times that place him among the fastest young sprinters in Singapore’s history. Then there’s Harry Irfan Curran, the National Under-18 record holder, whose 21.59s performance in Hong Kong cemented his status as a rising star in Singaporean sprinting.
With Reuben holding the national record, Marc chasing history, and a young generation closing the gap, the men’s 200m is one of the most exciting events to watch.
400m
Few events demand as much from an athlete as the 400m—a perfect blend of speed, endurance, and tactical precision. And in 2024, Singaporean quarter-milers rose to the occasion, rewriting history.
The first milestone came from none other than Veronica Shanti Pereira. Already the undisputed queen of Singapore sprinting, she shattered the long-standing national record of 54.18s, clocking an impressive 53.67s at the Florida Relays. With that, she didn’t just add another accolade to her decorated career—she opened the door to a tantalizing question: Will she take on the 100m-200m-400m triple at the SEA Games?​
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If she does, it will be one of the most compelling storylines of the year.
But whether or not Shanti lines up for the quarter-mile, Laavinia Jaiganth is ready to take her place as Singapore’s next great 400m runner.
At just 19 years old, Laavinia made history of her own, smashing Chee Swee Lee’s 50-year-old national U20 record, running 54.66s at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima. That performance didn’t just cement her status as Singapore’s fastest young quarter-miler ever—it showed that she is ready for the senior stage.
She has already raced on the international circuit, competing at the SEA U18, Asian U18, Asian U20, and World U20 levels. With experience beyond her years and a time that places her among the region’s best, it seems only natural that Laavinia will take the next step to the SEA Games—potentially becoming Singapore’s first 400m female representative at the Games since 2017.
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On the men’s side, one name stands above the rest—Thiruben Thana Rajan.
In 2023, Thiruben delivered one of the most spectacular improvements in Singapore’s 400m history. He slashed his personal best from 47.91s to 47.26s, making him Singapore’s third-fastest 400m runner of all time. He was Singapore’s No. 1 400m runner in 2024, despite only racing the event twice while primarily focusing on the 800m.
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And that’s the scary part—the 400m may not even be his best event.
Yet, his raw speed, strength, and ability to execute under pressure make him an obvious choice for the SEA Games team. Whether or not he prioritizes the event, one thing is certain: Thiruben is Singapore’s best quarter-miler right now.
While Thiruben is the undisputed No. 1, the second SEA Games spot is far less clear-cut.
Two names stand out—Reuben Rainer Lee and Zubin Percy Muncherji.
Reuben, Singapore’s 200m national record holder, has long been known for his blistering top-end speed, but in recent years, he has proven that his strength over 400m is just as formidable. His performances in the 400m over the years have put him among Singapore’s top contenders, but injuries have prevented him from achieving his potential thus far, leaving questions about whether he can return to his best form in time for the SEA Games.
Few names in Singaporean sprinting command as much respect as Zubin. His 47.02s national record remains untouched, and in 2023, he rolled back the years, running his first sub-48s race since 2018 with a 47.97s at the Asian Athletics Championships. He backed it up with a 48.36s in 2024, proving that he still has the elite speed needed to compete at the highest level.
But here’s where things get interesting.
Despite his legacy in the 400m, Zubin has started to shift toward the 800m, where he has already cracked the all-time top six in Singapore’s history. His natural endurance and race strategy make him a serious medal contender in the middle distances, and it’s clear that his best shot at a SEA Games breakthrough may lie beyond the one-lap sprint.
And that’s why the second 400m SEA Games slot goes to Reuben Rainer Lee.
Reuben’s combination of raw speed and 400m-specific training gives him the edge over Zubin, whose future may lie in the middle distances.
WRAPPING UP
For years, Singaporean sprinting has been defined by moments of brilliance. But in 2025, it’s not just about moments—it’s about momentum.
With Shanti at the top, Marc chasing history, Reuben and Thiruben pushing new limits, and a wave of young sprinters closing the gap fast, Singapore’s sprinting depth has never been stronger.
But speed alone won’t decide the SEA Games team—timing, execution, and one breakthrough race could change everything.
One thing is certain: Singapore is no longer just keeping up—it’s racing to the front.
* results obtained via Singapore Athletics archives and the respective World Athletics pages
PREDICTED SEA GAMES 2025 TEAM
EVENTS | MALE | FEMALE |
|---|---|---|
100M | MARC BRIAN LOUIS, DARYL TAN | VERONICA SHANTI PEREIRA, ELIZABETH-ANN TAN |
200M | REUBEN RAINER LEE, MARC BRIAN LOUIS | VERONICA SHANTI PEREIRA, ELIZABETH-ANN TAN |
400M | THIRUBEN THANA RAJAN, REUBEN RAINER LEE | LAAVINIA JAIGANTH |