Siobhan Haughey named 2019 Asian Female Swimmer of the Year by SwimSwam
- The 22-year-old Hong Kong Olympian collects another award to her growing mantelpiece after setting multiple records in another outstanding year
- Japan’s Daiya Seto is voted 2019 Asian Male Swimmer of the Year, beating out China’s three-time winner Sun Yang
Tokyo Olympics medal prospect Siobhan Haughey has enjoyed another banner year in the pool and the Hong Kong swimmer was rewarded for her efforts by being voted 2019 Asian Female Swimmer of the Year for the first time by respected swimming website SwimSwam.
What a year it has been for the 22-year-old who not only broke several Hong Kong records in 2019, including four in long course, she also set three records at the 2019 Mare Nostrum Tour in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle. She also bettered her own 200m freestyle record at this year’s Fina World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, where she was just two tenths of a second shy of making the podium, taking fourth place in the event. She was pipped at the finish by Sweden’s Sarah Sjoestroem for bronze but the Hong Kong-born swimmer is setting herself up for the grand finish with the Tokyo Olympics in her sights.
The University of Michigan graduate just last month swam the fastest-ever time on US soil in the 200m short-course freestyle, clocking one minute, 51.99 seconds during the College Park, Maryland leg of the International Swimming League (ISL).
In leading her DC Trident team to victory, she beat American Olympic legend Katie Ledecky in October in winning the opening leg of the ISL in Indianapolis in the 200m freestyle, although she played down her amazing victory over the five-time Olympic gold medallist and Rio 2016 champion.
Haughey enjoyed success at the 2019 NCAA Championships too, taking third place in the 100m and 200m freestyle. She was the Big Ten Champion in those events and set a Big Ten Conference record in the 100m free according to SwimSwam.
Tokyo 2020: Siobhan Haughey no longer star struck, having beaten Katie Ledecky and setting US record for 200m freestyle
Carrying her good form to the Festival of Sport Time Trial in Hong Kong in April, she cemented her spot at the Tokyo Olympics by reaching the Fina “A” standards in the 100m and 200m freestyle at the Sports Institute in Fo Tan.
That same month, she was honoured by the University of Michigan for her academic and athletic excellence before she graduated with a degree in psychology.
Haughey’s latest achievement at the Swimswam awards was also historic as the Hong Kong star became the first swimmer outside Japan and China to win this honour. Last year, Japanese star Rikako Ikee was voted first.
Haughey told the Hong Kong Olympic Committee’s Olympic Voice magazine she was proud to have qualified for Tokyo and was seeking “perfection” as the Olympics draws nearer.
Siobhan Haughey secures Tokyo 2020 qualification as she breaks her own national record with lightning fast showing
“Reaching this standard, it proves that Hong Kong swimmers can perform well on the world stage,” she said. “I will continue trying to be as perfect as possible and not give up because of any setbacks, knowing that I’ve tried my best.
“Of course, every swimmer wants to win a medal and the difference between me and a medal is a lot closer than it was before. But I don’t want to think about it too much. Just enjoy myself and see what happens.”
Meanwhile, Japan’s Daiya Seto was voted 2019 Asian Male Swimmer of the Year for the second year running. The Japanese star beat out China’s three-time SwimSwam winner, Sun Yang, to the coveted award after his performance at the Worlds where he won gold in the 200m and 400m individual medley.
