https://www.scmp.com/rss/509915/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com China’s youngest Olympic champion at the Toyko 2020 Games, Quan Hongchan, has earned herself another plaudit as she was named to the Forbes China 30 Under 30 list for 2021, which was published on Thursday. The 14-year-old is the youngest person on the overall list of 300, which includes 30 names for 10 separate industries, with Quan and her fellow Chinese Olympic gold medal winners named to the sport list. Teammate Chen Yuxi, 16, is the next youngest athlete with 17-year-old Zhang Jiaqi also on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3149171/olympic-champ-quan-hongchan-youngest-name-forbes-chinas-30-under-30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3149171/olympic-champ-quan-hongchan-youngest-name-forbes-chinas-30-under-30?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Sep 2021 09:26:38 +0000 There was no way Hong Kong swimming star Siobhan Haughey was going to let her 4x100-metre medley relay team down despite already winning two Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games silver medals and injuring her hip in a preceding heat. After sealing her two medals and qualifying for the 50m freestyle semi-final, coach Rick Bishop recalled Haughey said, “I don’t think I can walk up the stairs” before the pair decided to pull out of the category. “She’s so tough and stoic. She’s not going to let you know she is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3146897/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-reflects-physical-and-mental?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3146897/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-reflects-physical-and-mental?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:00:13 +0000 Chinese teen diving sensation Quan Hongchan has been taken into the hearts of social media users with many referring to the 14-year-old as “the nation’s little sister”. Now those same Netizens are pondering the potential of Quan’s own little sister, 12-year-old Quan Hongtao, and her younger brother, 10-year-old Quan Jinpeng. Both of the double Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games gold medallist’s younger siblings are enrolled in the same Zhanjiang Sports School that Quan has trained at from seven years... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3145088/tokyo-olympics-quan-hongchans-siblings-give-chinese-diving-fans-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3145088/tokyo-olympics-quan-hongchans-siblings-give-chinese-diving-fans-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Aug 2021 03:46:24 +0000 China’s Olympic diving sensation Quan Hongchan revealed her ambition to reporters in her first interview since claiming two gold medals in Tokyo. Rather than more Olympic success the 14-year-old said that she wanted to “open a supermarket”. Quan, who won golds in the individual and synchronised 10m platform events, has been the subject of much media interest. Her mother had revealed in an earlier interview that the snack-loving teenager’s dream was to open a small store but Quan said that her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144936/tokyo-olympics-china-diving-star-quan-hongchan-reveals-ambition-owning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144936/tokyo-olympics-china-diving-star-quan-hongchan-reveals-ambition-owning?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Aug 2021 02:17:09 +0000 The family of Quan Hongchan, the Chinese gold-medal-winning Olympic diver, are suddenly finding themselves refusing gifts and cash from across the country after the general public learned about the teenager’s humble background. Quan might be the biggest star for China coming out of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games because the 14-year-old thoroughly dominated the competition to take home her gold medal. How China’s diving darling strove for Tokyo gold to help ill mother Not only did Quan find immense... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3144382/tokyo-olympics-family-chinese-diving-star-turn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3144382/tokyo-olympics-family-chinese-diving-star-turn?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Aug 2021 02:46:27 +0000 With two Olympic silver medals tucked away in a suitcase in the corner of her room, Siobhan Haughey is enjoying a much-needed break in quarantine at a hotel in Wan Chai. She has been “chilling”, replying to the hundreds of messages she has received over the past two weeks, watching the Olympics and enjoying some treats – including croissants – sent by friends and family. “I’ve been catching up on my sleep,” said Haughey with a chuckle. “It’s great to have some alone time, and I’m trying to stay... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3144292/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-hopes-double-silver-helps-hongkongers-stay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3144292/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-hopes-double-silver-helps-hongkongers-stay?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Aug 2021 03:00:18 +0000 China has been making plenty of history at the Tokyo Olympics, and diver Cao Yuan added the latest chapter with his 10m diving platform final triumph on Saturday. The 26-year-old scored an overall total of 582.35 points, outduelling teammate Yang Jian for the gold meal by just 1.95 points at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, He had to earn it, for sure, performing a final dive which scored 10s from two of the judges, and 9.5s from the rest. The victory provides some redemption for Cao, whose silver in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144226/tokyo-olympics-cao-yuan-earns-redemption-and-piece-diving-history-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144226/tokyo-olympics-cao-yuan-earns-redemption-and-piece-diving-history-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Aug 2021 09:10:49 +0000 The 14-year-old diver Quan Hongchan may be China’s breakout star of the Tokyo Games, but she is just one of many elite athletes emerging from the southeastern province of Guangdong. A coastal province bordering Hong Kong, Guangdong has become a cradle of world-class divers. While the Chinese national diving team is known as the “Dream Team”, the Guangdong contingent could easily be nicknamed “the dream team within the dream team”. Quan was born in Zhanjiang, which boasts a population of 7.5... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144173/tokyo-olympics-why-quan-hongchans-guangdong-chinas-cradle-world-class?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144173/tokyo-olympics-why-quan-hongchans-guangdong-chinas-cradle-world-class?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Aug 2021 00:00:18 +0000 If the Tokyo Olympics had not been postponed by a year, we would have been robbed of seeing Chinese diver Quan Hongchan make her stunning splash at the Games. But having turned 14 just four months ago, Quan met the minimum age requirement this summer, and on Thursday became China’s newest diving sensation when she won the 10m platform gold in some style at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Quan Hongchan’s hometown swarmed by diving star’s new fans A picture of her coach holding the spiky-haired... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144156/how-quan-hongchan-chinas-14-year-old-diving-darling-strove-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144156/how-quan-hongchan-chinas-14-year-old-diving-darling-strove-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Aug 2021 12:31:32 +0000 Chinese state media has criticised an Australian news outlet over its coverage of 14-year-old Tokyo Olympics gold medallist diver Quan Hongchan. The English-language Global Times newspaper took aim at conservative website News.com.au, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, for “weird, offensive words” that “defamed” Quan. China’s youngest athlete at the Games won gold in the individual 10-metre platform final on Thursday, blowing away the competition with three perfect 10s for a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144078/tokyo-olympics-australian-websites-weird-offensive-coverage-teen-diver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3144078/tokyo-olympics-australian-websites-weird-offensive-coverage-teen-diver?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Aug 2021 07:07:57 +0000 China’s 14-year-old diver Quan Hongchan wrapped up the 10m platform gold medal in stunning style after producing three perfect-10 dives at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. All six judges awarded her second, fourth and fifth dives – which all had a difficulty rating of 3.2 – with scores of 10 on Thursday afternoon. Chinese women Olympic athletes’ success challenges China’s beauty standards Appearing in her first Games, Quan sealed China’s 33rd gold medal in Tokyo, obliterating the field with an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3143915/tokyo-olympics-chinas-14-year-old-diver-quan-hongchan-receives-perfect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3143915/tokyo-olympics-chinas-14-year-old-diver-quan-hongchan-receives-perfect?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Aug 2021 06:51:40 +0000 American diving legend Greg Louganis remembers the first time he met Jordan Windle, the 22-year-old who is the first diver of Cambodian descent to compete in an Olympic Games. It was at a sushi restaurantin Ford Lauderdale, Florida, recalled Louganis, now 61. Doodling on a notepad, a young Windle asked: “Mr Louganis, what do you do when the other divers talk smack about you?” Recounting the episode to This Week in Asia, Louganis, an LGBTI activist and holder of five Olympic medals, replied: “I... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3143712/how-us-olympic-diver-jordan-windle-went-cambodian-orphanage-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3143712/how-us-olympic-diver-jordan-windle-went-cambodian-orphanage-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Aug 2021 00:00:26 +0000 China secured gold and silver in the men’s three-metre springboard event at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Tuesday to maintain its almost total dominance of the diving pool at these Tokyo Games. Xie Siyi scored 558.75 in the final to ensure he claimed gold, adding the Olympic title to his world title, and fending off his 3m synchro partner – with whom he already secured the gold at Tokyo 2020 – Wang Zongyuan, who took silver with 534.90. “I’ll give myself full marks,” Xie said. “It’s really not... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3143633/tokyo-olympics-china-takes-gold-and-silver-3m-springboard-diving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3143633/tokyo-olympics-china-takes-gold-and-silver-3m-springboard-diving?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Aug 2021 07:32:57 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day 10 of the Tokyo Olympics here Siobhan Haughey’s coach only discovered that the double Olympic silver medallist was injured when she told him, “I don’t think I can walk up the stairs”. In an exclusive interview with the Post, Rick Bishop said the swimmer only revealed she was hurt after qualifying for the semi-finals of the 50m freestyle event last Friday. By that time Hong Kong’s new Olympic star had already set four Asian records and grabbed two medals in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3143428/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-battled-injury-stopped-because-she?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3143428/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-battled-injury-stopped-because-she?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Aug 2021 01:30:20 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day eight of the Tokyo Olympics here With her silver in the 4x100m mixed medley relay, China’s Zhang Yufei won her fourth medal of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, matching Sun Yang as the country’s most successful swimmer at a single Games. In equalling Sun, Zhang becomes only the second Chinese swimmer to rack up four medals in a single Games but she is likely to have the chance to go one better in Sunday’s 4x100m freestyle relay. There is a world where she could have had... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3143313/tokyo-olympics-zhang-yufei-matches-sun-yang-medal-record-and-could-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3143313/tokyo-olympics-zhang-yufei-matches-sun-yang-medal-record-and-could-go?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jul 2021 07:55:15 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day eight of the Tokyo Olympics here The first Olympic gold medal for the 4x100m mixed medley relay was awarded on Saturday morning and it went to Great Britain’s swimmers, not China’s. Britain, with Adam Peaty and James Guy alongside Kathleen Dawson and Anna Hopkin, stormed home to set a new world record of 3:37.58 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. China’s Zhang Yufei and Yang Junxuan missed out on another relay gold after winning the women’s 4 x 200m earlier in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3143295/tokyo-olympics-british-shatter-chinas-world-record-first-mixed-medley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3143295/tokyo-olympics-british-shatter-chinas-world-record-first-mixed-medley?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jul 2021 04:20:18 +0000 Singapore’s Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling has received an outpouring of support, including from the city state’s President Halimah Yacob, after some compatriots poured scorn on the 26-year-old for failing to qualify in the Tokyo Olympic Games heats for his pet 100 metre butterfly event. “I feel sad looking at how unkind we can be towards each other. One moment, we carry people to the highest pedestal with our words, yet the next moment we thrash them to the ground just because they... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3143229/singapores-president-defends-joseph-schooling-amid-scorn-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3143229/singapores-president-defends-joseph-schooling-amid-scorn-over?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jul 2021 12:00:08 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day seven of the Tokyo Olympics here Olympic double silver medal-winning hero Siobhan Haughey has told Hongkongers she has seen the huge outpouring of support across the city for her momentous efforts in Japan, and that she is grateful for it. The 23-year-old was speaking moments after receiving her second silver medal of the Tokyo 2020 Games, having just stunned world record-holder Sarah Sjostrom and defending Olympic champion Penny Oleksiak to take second place... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3143147/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-humbled-hong-kong-support-momentous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3143147/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-humbled-hong-kong-support-momentous?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jul 2021 06:17:51 +0000 Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey continued her magnificent form at Tokyo 2020 when she sealed a second Olympic medal for the city as she finished second in the 100m freestyle final at Tokyo’s Aquatics Centre on Friday morning. The 23-year-old was attempting to secure a second swimming medal for Hong Kong during the city’s most successful Games campaign. Haughey swam a sensational 52.27 seconds to touch the wall second – setting another new Asian record – just 0.31 of a second behind Australia’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3143091/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-doubles-soaring-100m-freestyle-swim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3143091/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-doubles-soaring-100m-freestyle-swim?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jul 2021 02:04:14 +0000 Olympic silver-medal hero Siobhan Haughey can go even faster, insisted her coach Rick Bishop, as the 23-year-old prepared for a second shot at the podium in the 100m freestyle in Tokyo on Friday morning. Hong Kong is already enjoying its greatest Games – even before the halfway point – and hopes are sky high for another medal-winning swim by Haughey. Bishop, who coached Haughey during her distinguished college career at the University of Michigan and was drafted in by the Hong Kong Sports... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3143063/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haugheys-coach-raises-hopes-100m-final-she?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3143063/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haugheys-coach-raises-hopes-100m-final-she?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jul 2021 14:00:22 +0000 Joseph Schooling’s hopes of defending his Olympic 100m butterfly title are over after the Singapore swim star clocked 53.12 seconds to finish last in his Tokyo 2020 heat on Thursday evening. The 26-year-old’s time was not good enough to qualify for the semi-finals, with American world-record holder Caeleb Dressel equalling Schooling’s Olympic record in his heat (50.39) at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Schooling, who swam in the fifth of eight heats and finished 44th out of the 55 competitors... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3143045/tokyo-olympics-joseph-schooling-finishes-last-100m-butterfly-heat-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3143045/tokyo-olympics-joseph-schooling-finishes-last-100m-butterfly-heat-title?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jul 2021 11:43:29 +0000 Zhang Yufei won China’s first two swimming gold medals within an hour after setting an Olympic record in the 200m butterfly, then leading the 4x200m freestyle relay team to a shock world record at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Thursday. The 23-year-old Xuzhou native, known as the “Butterfly Queen” ever since dominating the 2018 Asian Games with three golds and a silver, had missed out at the Rio Games five years ago when she finished a disappointing sixth. “In 2015, I was a newborn and didn’t... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3143027/tokyo-olympics-chinas-butterfly-queen-zhang-yufei-surprised-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3143027/tokyo-olympics-chinas-butterfly-queen-zhang-yufei-surprised-be?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jul 2021 10:31:19 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day six of the Tokyo Olympics here China shocked the United States and Australia to take gold in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Thursday. The Chinese quartet of Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan, Zhang Yufei and Li Bingjie touched the wall in a world -record time of 7:40.33 seconds to push the US into silver, despite their four clocking an American record. Australia won bronze in 7:41.29, an Oceania record. All three teams broke the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142966/tokyo-olympics-china-stuns-usa-australia-world-record-womens-200m?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142966/tokyo-olympics-china-stuns-usa-australia-world-record-womens-200m?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jul 2021 04:30:58 +0000 Another day, another smashed record for the incredible Siobhan Haughey. The Hongkonger continued her inspired form at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Thursday as she stormed into the final of the 100-metre freestyle and once again beat her own Asian record mark. The 23-year-old has so far enjoyed a magnificent Tokyo Olympics after winning 200m free silver on Wednesday morning and following that up with a personal best and shortening the Asian mark in her 100m free heat in the evening session. Her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142951/tokyo-2020-siobhan-haughey-betters-her-asian-record-she-cruises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142951/tokyo-2020-siobhan-haughey-betters-her-asian-record-she-cruises?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jul 2021 02:54:25 +0000 Siobhan Haughey said she shocked herself when she registered a personal best time as she progressed comfortably into the semi-finals of the 100-metre freestyle in an Asian record time of 52.70 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Wednesday. The swim put the cherry on top of a fantastic day’s work at the 2020 Games by Haughey after she made history for Hong Kong in the morning session when she scooped the silver medal in the 200m freestyle. It was a first swimming medal for the city and a result that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142884/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-safely-navigates-100m-freestyle-heat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142884/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-safely-navigates-100m-freestyle-heat?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jul 2021 10:25:04 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day five of the Tokyo Olympics here Siobhan Haughey made history with Hong Kong’s first ever Olympic medal in swimming after taking silver in the women’s 200m freestyle final at the Tokyo 2020 Games on Wednesday morning. The 23-year-old Haughey finished 0.42 seconds behind Australia’s golden girl Ariarne Titmus, with a time of 1:53.92 – a new Asian record, which knocked almost a second off her personal best. Penny Oleksiak won bronze with a time of 1:54.70 to become... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142798/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-creates-history-silver-medal-200m?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142798/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-creates-history-silver-medal-200m?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jul 2021 01:49:12 +0000 The congratulatory messages have been flooding in for Hong Kong superstar Siobhan Bernadette Haughey after her Olympic silver medal-winning, Asian record-breaking feat in Tokyo. But there is one that will stand out above the rest for the home-grown winner as she attempts to return to Earth. “We are very proud that through her hard work, dedication and determination – with the benefit of great coaches at each stage in her career and excellent support professionals throughout – Siobhan has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142754/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-hong-kong-olympic-finalist-who-lived?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142754/tokyo-olympics-siobhan-haughey-hong-kong-olympic-finalist-who-lived?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jul 2021 23:30:19 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day four of the Tokyo Olympics here Teen divers Chen Yuxi and Zhang Jiaqi won the second gold medal for the Chinese “Dream Team” – and an eighth overall for China at the Tokyo Games – with a formidable score of 363.78 in the women’s synchronised 10m platform on Tuesday. The US came second through Jessica Parratto and Delaney Schnell, but finished more than 52 points behind on 310.8 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. The Mexican pair of Gabriela Agundez and Alejandra Orozco... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142729/tokyo-olympics-chen-yuxi-zhang-jiaqi-get-chinas-diving-dream-team-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142729/tokyo-olympics-chen-yuxi-zhang-jiaqi-get-chinas-diving-dream-team-back?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jul 2021 09:51:26 +0000 An adopted Chinese girl captured Canada’s first gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and it sparked outcry in China’s domestic media over its now-scrapped one-child policy. On Monday, Canada’s Maggie MacNeil – who was born in China – garnered worldwide fame as she was crowned Olympic champion ahead of China’s Zhang Yufei, the top-ranked swimmer in the women’s 100m butterfly. Zhang had to settle for the silver medal in a time of 55.64 seconds, while MacNeil was 0.05 seconds ahead. MacNeil, as... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142642/tokyo-olympics-adopted-china-canadas-maggie-macneil-wins-gold-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142642/tokyo-olympics-adopted-china-canadas-maggie-macneil-wins-gold-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jul 2021 03:00:21 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day four of the Tokyo Olympics here Siobhan Haughey has created history by becoming the first Hong Kong swimmer to make an Olympic final after qualifying second-fastest for the 200m freestyle – but she’s not satisfied yet. The 23-year-old is regarded as a genuine medal hope in the event and she showed why with a strong performance on Tuesday morning. Haughey led much of the way during the first of two semi-finals, swimming just outside world record pace at the 100m... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142640/tokyo-olympics-hong-kongs-siobhan-haughey-qualifies-second-fastest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142640/tokyo-olympics-hong-kongs-siobhan-haughey-qualifies-second-fastest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jul 2021 02:22:44 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day three of the Tokyo Olympics here Hong Kong’s star swimmer Siobhan Haughey did exactly what she needed to in her opening hit-out of these delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The 23-year-old, appearing at her second Olympics, took to the Tokyo Aquatics Centre pool with the task of finishing among the 16 fastest swimmers across the four 200m freestyle heats and she did just that. Haughey has been mentioned as a medal hope by many, including the chef de mission of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142590/tokyo-olympics-hong-kongs-siobhan-haughey-cruises-semi-final-200m?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142590/tokyo-olympics-hong-kongs-siobhan-haughey-cruises-semi-final-200m?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jul 2021 11:50:40 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day three of the Tokyo Olympics here Great Britain’s Tom Daley and Matty Lee took gold in the men’s synchronised 10m platform event to end China’s diving Dream Team’s hopes of a clean sweep at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Monday. The Britons finished with a total score of 471.81 points, edging out China’s two-time gold medallists Chen Aisen and Cao Yuan by just 1.23 points. The Russian pair of Aleksandr Bondar and Viktor Minibaev took bronze with 439.92. “I’m just so... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3142549/tokyo-olympics-britains-tom-daley-helps-end-china-diving-dream-teams-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3142549/tokyo-olympics-britains-tom-daley-helps-end-china-diving-dream-teams-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jul 2021 08:16:26 +0000 Hong Kong’s Stephanie Au Hoi-shun missed out on the chance to make the semi-finals of the 100-metre backstroke at what will almost certainly be her last Olympics at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Sunday. The 29-year-old stopped the clock in a time of one minute, 1.07 seconds before it transpired that it would take an effort better than Anna Konishi’s 1:00.04 to join the world’s elite in the semi-finals. Au’s personal best time is 1:00.22, a national record that she set at the 2019 Fina Swimming... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142470/tokyo-olympics-hong-kongs-stephanie-au-fails-make-backstroke-semi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142470/tokyo-olympics-hong-kongs-stephanie-au-fails-make-backstroke-semi?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jul 2021 12:37:36 +0000 Follow our live coverage of day two of the Tokyo Olympics here. After a golden Saturday, China continued their strong start to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with the “Dream Team” diving squad winning Sunday’s women’s synchronised 3-metre springboard final. China are hoping for a clean sweep of gold medals across the diving events, and Shi Tingmao and Wang Han got things off to the perfect start, leading from the first round before securing the title with 326.40 points. The pair performed an inward... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142446/tokyo-olympics-chinas-diving-dream-team-perfect-start-shi-tingmao-wang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3142446/tokyo-olympics-chinas-diving-dream-team-perfect-start-shi-tingmao-wang?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jul 2021 07:49:46 +0000 Hong Kong’s women’s 4x100m swimmers fell well short of setting the record some had tipped them for when they hit the pool on the opening day of the aquatics. They finished dead last in their freestyle relay heat at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre in a time of 3 minutes 43.52 seconds, four seconds behind Brazil in seventh and well off the pace they set to qualify to get to Tokyo. This year’s Olympians had qualified in 3:40.40, the slowest of the eight teams in their heat, but close to the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142406/tokyo-olympics-hong-kong-swimmers-fall-short-4x100m-freestyle-relay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3142406/tokyo-olympics-hong-kong-swimmers-fall-short-4x100m-freestyle-relay?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jul 2021 14:00:07 +0000 There will be 431 Chinese athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, its largest ever overseas contingent, and the youngest will be 14-year-old diver Quan Hongchan. The Zhanjiang, Guangdong native is seen as a medal hope for a country which has long dominated the sport. State news agency Xinhua said China expects to win golds in diving, as well as table tennis, badminton, gymnastics, weightlifting and shooting. IOC to investigate Mao badges worn by China gold medallists Quan and 15-year-old Chen... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3141410/tokyo-olympics-14-year-old-diver-quan-hongchan-chinas-youngest-athlete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3141410/tokyo-olympics-14-year-old-diver-quan-hongchan-chinas-youngest-athlete?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jul 2021 06:00:20 +0000 A Chinese diving champion with four Olympic gold medals and two silvers is to appear in this year’s games in Tokyo – as a judge. Guo Jingjing, originally from Hebei province, is considered one of China’s greatest Olympians, competing in four consecutive summer games between 1996, when she was 14, and 2008 when the world’s biggest sporting event was hosted by her own country.  Sometimes referred to as China’s “princess” or “queen” of diving, she retired from her sport a decade ago after a 22-year... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3141434/retired-china-diving-queen-guo-jingjing-tokyo-olympic-judge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3141434/retired-china-diving-queen-guo-jingjing-tokyo-olympic-judge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jul 2021 10:45:32 +0000 Matt Biondi won 11 Olympic medals, including eight golds, but the American can see a day where the Games are no longer the main event for elite swimmers. The 55-year-old American says it all depends on the business model and how much world governing body Fina and Olympics organisers are prepared to embrace change and bring swimming into a professional era. Biondi cited the examples of tennis, golf and football as Olympic sports that have their own showcase events of far greater importance for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3141194/olympic-games-swim-great-matt-biondi-warns-chiefs-embrace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3141194/olympic-games-swim-great-matt-biondi-warns-chiefs-embrace?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jul 2021 05:49:30 +0000 Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee does not really expect to win gold in the two events she will race in at the Tokyo Games but that does not matter. After surviving leukaemia, just being on Japan’s Olympic team at a home Games is a victory in itself. Ikee, 21, was diagnosed with leukaemia in February 2019 and while her treatment in hospital was far tougher than she ever imagined she was determined not to let it defeat her. “This is dozens of times, hundreds of times, thousands of times harder than I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3141189/tokyo-olympics-rikako-ikee-says-leukaemia-battle-thousand-times-harder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3141189/tokyo-olympics-rikako-ikee-says-leukaemia-battle-thousand-times-harder?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jul 2021 05:29:43 +0000 In less than two weeks, Olympic swimmers will dive into Tokyo Bay to compete in the triathlon. For residents who live near the shore, that’s an unappealing thought because, despite months of efforts to clean up the water, the bay stinks. Known for its shoreline of gleaming skyscrapers and famed Rainbow Bridge, the “futuristic landscape” was selected “at the strong request of international sporting organisations”, according to the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee. But in the run-up to the games,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3141017/tokyo-olympic-two-weeks-triathlon-water-swimming-venue-stinks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3141017/tokyo-olympic-two-weeks-triathlon-water-swimming-venue-stinks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jul 2021 03:02:13 +0000 A number of big names will miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics later this month after the Chinese Swimming Association confirmed its team for the delayed Games. Aside from triple Olympic champion Sun Yang, who was banned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month until the Paris Olympics in 2024, others to miss the cut were Rio 2016 breakout star Fu Yuanhui, London 2012 double gold medallist Ye Shiwen and another world-record breaker, Liu Xiang. Fu’s Tokyo chances had long been a topic of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3140004/tokyo-olympics-star-chinese-swimmers-fu-yuanhui-ye-shiwen-and-liu-xiang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3140004/tokyo-olympics-star-chinese-swimmers-fu-yuanhui-ye-shiwen-and-liu-xiang?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jul 2021 08:03:28 +0000 More than a week after banning Sun Yang for 51 months, the Court of Arbitration for Sport revealed the full report on their verdict on Friday, with China’s star swimmer and swimming federation Fina both criticised. Sun was banned for four years and three months, backdated to February 28, 2020, on June 22 following the announcement of appeal of the second hearing between the World Anti Doping Agency against Sun and international swimming federation Fina. Sun had requested that the verdict from... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3139712/sun-yang-and-fina-criticised-full-cas-doping-violation-verdict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3139712/sun-yang-and-fina-criticised-full-cas-doping-violation-verdict?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jul 2021 10:01:02 +0000 Joseph Schooling became an overnight sensation in the swimming world with one race at a key point in his career, beating his childhood idol in the process. Now looking to build on that result, we take a look at the swim star who is hoping lightning strikes twice five years later as he tries to grab gold again in Tokyo. Biography The 26-year-old is Singapore’s first and only gold medallist, which puts him in a category all of his own. He was born in the city state on June 16, 1995 and is a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3139318/joseph-schooling-biography-ethnicity-2016-olympics-medal-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3139318/joseph-schooling-biography-ethnicity-2016-olympics-medal-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Jun 2021 08:57:45 +0000 Twenty-year-old Japanese swimmer Shoma Sato is making a massive splash in Japan ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. At April’s national championships, which doubled as the country’s Olympic trials, the relatively unknown teenager exceeded all expectations by smashing the Japanese record in the men’s 200-metre breaststroke with a time of two minutes, 6.40 seconds. Sato, who The Japan Times called a “rising star”, not only set a new Japanese and Asian record, but posted the second fastest time ever... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3139126/shoma-sato-biography-tokyo-olympics-preferred-stroke-asian-record-and-isl?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3139126/shoma-sato-biography-tokyo-olympics-preferred-stroke-asian-record-and-isl?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jun 2021 05:22:16 +0000 When it comes to notable Olympic athletes who are also celebrities in their own right, British diver Tom Daley is somewhere near the top of that list. This summer he will compete in the 10-metre platform and 10m synchro platform events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. So who is the social media-friendly Briton? Biography The 27-year-old four-time Olympic veteran, hails from Plymouth, England, was vaulted into the media stratosphere when he made his Olympic debut at the age of 14. Since then he has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3138912/tom-daley-biography-his-first-olympic-games-his-fourth-having-son-and-social?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3138912/tom-daley-biography-his-first-olympic-games-his-fourth-having-son-and-social?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jun 2021 06:01:09 +0000 China’s star swimmer Sun Yang has responded to the ban that has kept him out of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games next month, telling Chinese media that he will “not give up”. In a WeChat conversation with a journalist from The Paper, a Shanghai-based digital newspaper, Sun said “I’ll definitely jiayou [add oil] and won’t give up”, their website reported. To “add oil” – as with the Cantonese term gayau – has become an all-purpose cheer in China, especially in the sporting world. The 29-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3138416/sun-yang-responds-cas-ban-i-wont-give-says-china-swim-star-ruled-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3138416/sun-yang-responds-cas-ban-i-wont-give-says-china-swim-star-ruled-out?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jun 2021 05:22:11 +0000 China’s triple Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang will not be in Tokyo next month to defend the 200m crown he won at the Rio 2016 Games. Despite being handed a reduced ban (four years and three months) by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Tuesday, the censure rules him out of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the Asian Games next year, which will be held in his hometown of Hangzhou. So how did we get here, to the point where one of China’s greatest Olympians and most decorated swimmers in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3138397/sun-yang-why-chinas-star-swimmer-missing-tokyo-2020-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3138397/sun-yang-why-chinas-star-swimmer-missing-tokyo-2020-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jun 2021 03:37:24 +0000 China’s star swimmer, Sun Yang, will miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games next month after the Court of Arbitration for Sport banned him for four years and three months over a disputed doping test in 2018. Sun – the reigning 200m freestyle gold medallist – was originally banned for eight years by CAS following a 2019 hearing before that ruling was overturned. The new verdict, which is backdated to last February, could see Sun return for the Paris 2024 Games, by which time he will be 32. Sun’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3138368/sun-yang-chinese-swim-star-out-tokyo-olympics-after-cas-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3138368/sun-yang-chinese-swim-star-out-tokyo-olympics-after-cas-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:45:37 +0000 High-flying Hong Kong swimmer Cheuk Ming-ho will make another serious attempt at Tokyo Olympic qualification as the Long Course Time Trial returns to the Sport Institute swimming pool on Sunday for a behind-closed-doors event. The 19-year-old prodigy has set four Hong Kong records from 100-metre to 800-metre freestyle over the last three months but is still in search of Hong Kong’s first men’s A qualifying standard to reach the Olympics. “It has been a hectic schedule over the past few months... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3137841/tokyo-2020-all-eyes-prodigy-cheuk-ming-ho-he-attempts-become-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3137841/tokyo-2020-all-eyes-prodigy-cheuk-ming-ho-he-attempts-become-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jun 2021 06:38:17 +0000 Former Chinese diving world champion Li Shixin will represent Australia at next month’s Tokyo Olympics Games, saying his dream is finally coming true. At 33, Li, who captured back-to-back 1m springboard golds at the 2011 and 2013 world championships, will also become the oldest member of the Australian Olympic diving team. He won the Olympic nomination trial in the men’s 3m springboard in Sydney last week before being named in the seven-strong squad for Tokyo. Esther Qi, competing in the women’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3137761/tokyo-2020-olympics-former-chinese-diving-world-champion-li-shixin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3137761/tokyo-2020-olympics-former-chinese-diving-world-champion-li-shixin?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jun 2021 01:56:35 +0000