Siobhan Haughey wins her big comeback race as she cruises at Mare Nostrum
Hongkonger’s first significant competition since returning from a four-month break brings victory in Monaco
Siobhan Haughey marked her return to international competition by blowing the opposition out of the water at the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour in Monaco on Saturday.
The Hongkonger’s first event was the 200 metres freestyle, and she proceeded to win it convincingly in one minute and 56.45 seconds.
Haughey touched the wall nearly three seconds faster than the 1:59.20 of Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko. Hungary’s Panna Ugrai was third in 2:00.96.
However, Haughey’s time was significantly slower than she is used to swimming, having returned from a four-month break from swimming only last month.
At last year’s Mare Nostrum Monaco leg, the four-time Olympic medallist put up a time of 1:54.53 to break the meet record as she geared up for the Paris Olympics.
Last week, Haughey’s coach, Tom Rushton, told the Post he expected the 27-year-old to swim “around 1:56” and probably shave one half to one full second off that time before the tour ends.