No 200m for Dipna at SEA Games

Dipna Lim-Prasad smashed Prema Govindan's 29-year-old national mark for the women's 200 metres on Saturday.

But the new record-holder will not represent Singapore in the event at December's South-east Asia (SEA) Games in Napyidaw, Myanmar.

Lim-Prasad clocked 24.36 seconds to take the 200m gold medal on the first day of the Singapore U-23 Open Athletics Championships at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.

The 22-year-old was 0.21 seconds faster than 100m record-holder Shanti Pereira, who equalled Govindan's record of 24.54 at July's IAAF World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine.

While she was delighted to set the record, Lim-Prasad isn't looking to add the 200m event to the ones she has already qualified for - the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay.

New personal best

The 2012 Olympian told The New Paper on Saturday: "I'm always happy because it's a new personal best and with this speed, it will probably help with my 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay at the SEA Games.

"Shanti is so talented and young. When I was her age, I was running a few seconds slower than this.

"I was in the lane ahead of her and I could hear her behind me. It was quite intimidating, but we definitely pushed each other."

Despite her record-breaking run, Lim-Prasad's time did not meet the SEA Games qualifying mark of 24.06, the bronze timing from the 2011 SEA Games.

The Singapore Athletic Association will be holding a meeting Sunday to finalise its line-up for Napyidaw, which will be submitted to the Singapore National Olympic Council on Sunday.

While the national sports association can select runners from the relay team for individual events, vice-president and chief of sports development Loh Chan Pew said it is unlikely they will field someone for the women's 200m.

He said: "All six girls have qualified through the 4x400m relay, which will be their main event.

"Dipna can be considered for the either the 200m or 400m hurdles, but she will most likely run the 400m hurdles because she has a better chance.

"Shanti will do the 100m and I think she should also focus on it as well."

In other events, Amirudin Jamal won the battle of the men's 4x100m sprinters in the men's 200m in 21.72 seconds.

Former TNP School Sports Star nominee Wong Kai Yuen threw 15.50m to equal the championships' shot-put record for men while Eugenia Tan broke the women's long jump record with her effort of 5.56m.

The previous record was 5.40m set by Nurul Jannah Zulkifly last year.

The meet will end on Sunday.

gregloo@sph.com.sg

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