Singapore’s sprint queen Shanti Pereira engaged to former national sprinter Tan Zong Yang

Singapore’s track sensation, Shanti Pereira, has announced her engagement to former national sprinter and lawyer Tan Zong Yang, culminating in a heartwarming proposal in Stockholm, Sweden.

The couple, who have been together for three years, celebrated Tan’s 30th birthday with a picturesque proposal last Sunday (9 June) at a lawn near Drottningholm Palace.

The engagement, captured in a video shared on Instagram by Singaporean sprinter Timothee Yap, shows Tan kneeling down with a ring as Pereira leaps joyfully in response, set to a touching rendition of “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You”.

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A post shared by 叶劲维 Timothee Yap OLY (@timotheeyjw)

Pereira later took to her Instagram to express her happiness, proclaiming, “Cheers to your 30th, three years together, and to the rest of our lives!”

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A post shared by Shanti Pereira (@v_shantipereira)

The news of Shanti Pereira’s engagement has garnered an outpouring of congratulatory messages from fans and celebrities alike.

Among those celebrating are fitness trainer Tyen Rasif, actor Glenn Yong, and Mediacorp actress Chantalle Ng.

Pereira, who holds national records in the 100m, 200m, and 400m events, is currently in Europe preparing for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

This will be her second appearance at the quadrennial event, following her debut at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.

In Tokyo, she placed 39th out of 41 overall in the 200m heats with a season’s best time of 23.96 seconds.

Pereira, named Sportswoman of the Year at the Singapore Sports Awards on 3 June, has since lowered her 200m time to the current national record of 22.57 seconds, clocked at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

There, she met the Olympic qualifying mark, securing her spot at the Paris Games and becoming the first Singaporean to reach the semi-finals of the world championships.

Her fiancé, Tan Zong Yang, has also made his mark in athletics, securing bronze at the Hanoi SEA Games in 2022 and marking Singapore’s first medal in the 400m event in nearly five decades.

Their relationship, which blossomed from a longstanding friendship, has seen Tan’s unwavering support for Pereira at various international competitions, highlighting their mutual dedication to athletics and each other.