Tokyo Olympics: Siobhan Haughey, the Hong Kong Olympic star who lived up to the hype – and more
- The 23-year-old Olympic silver medallist is a former world junior champion and two-time Youth Olympics silver medallist
- ‘We are very proud that … Siobhan has achieved her goal of making the Olympic podium’, said the Haugheys
“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 achieved her goal of making the podium at the Olympics,” Haughey’s father Darach told the Post on behalf of the family.
The 23-year-old Haughey, who simultaneously clocked a personal best of 1:53:92 having led the majority of the race before two-time world champion Australian Ariarne Titmus swept in at the final stretch, has only reasserted her status as torch-bearer to guide Hong Kong’s next-generation swimmers.
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Hong Kong’s most successful Olympics ever as swimmer Siobhan Haughey wins silver at Tokyo 2020
‘Hard work has paid off,’ says Haughey after Tokyo silver
Tricolour or Bauhinia?
Haughey was born on October 31, 1997, to Irish father Darach and Hong Kong mother Canjo. She has one older sister, Aisling. Despite Haughey’s various achievements and enthusiasm towards the media, her family largely stays away from the limelight.
What started as a supplemental hobby to her piano lessons soon turned into a potential streamline to the national junior circuit after club coaches recognised her natural talent. Former coach Michael Fasching described meeting her aged 12 – “it was already pretty obvious that she was a pretty special swimmer”.
After watching Haughey bag a stunning silver in Tokyo, he said, “That was an incredible race and a fantastic time. I’m very happy for Siobhan and Hong Kong swimming.
Ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Haughey revealed that she had been approached to represent Ireland but “chose to represent Hong Kong because I was born there, raised there, and feel connected and proud to represent Hong Kong”.
Haughey’s ability to speak fluent English and Cantonese has allowed her seamless transition between North American and Asian swimming markets, particularly earning a soft spot with local fans, many of whom call her “Little Fish”.
Junior world champion
The St Paul’s primary and secondary school student was already dominating the local junior scene, but it was not until her teenage years that her name really started pulsing through the city.
In 2013, the 16-year-old won gold at the world junior championships in the 100m freestyle. The same year, she won seven medals across several freestyle disciplines at the East Asian Games, setting up a much-needed boost for the senior team.
A year later, Haughey won two Youth Olympic silvers. The following month, she helped the Hong Kong women’s relay team to three bronze medals at the 2014 Asian Games.
Haughey simultaneously made waves on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) stage, notably finishing fourth in the 200-yard freestyle. She finished second in the same event the following year, and third in her final year in 2019. She earned 14 All-American honours, 15 “Big Ten” championships (winning the 2016 edition’s MVP award) in all.
Serial record-breaker
Haughey’s college-level times earned her a move to the fledgling ISL, which boasts the likes of former Olympic champion and multiple world record-holder Sarah Sjostrom among other blockbuster names. She finished her debut season as team DC Trident’s highest-scoring swimmer.
Haughey broke several national records in 2019, including two of her own at the world championships and just milliseconds from the Asian 200m freestyle record. The performances earned her “Asian Female of the Year” at the Swammy Awards (prestigious annual event run by swimming news outlet SwimSwam).
Tokyo shift
Slap-bang in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, Haughey returned to Michigan for intensive Olympic preparations. She and fellow Michigan swimmer Jamie Yeung Zhenmei trained until the pandemic forced the closure of swimming pools.
Upon returning to Hong Kong, Michigan coach Rick Bishop sent the pair daily workout schedules to incorporate with national head coach Chen Jianhong’s own routines.
“That [Tokyo] is actually happening gave me something to look forward to and I’m just so thankful and feel so grateful … [to] get to race the best in the world again. It’s a great experience so far,” Haughey said pre-Games. “If I can get a medal, of course that would be great. I know this is my second Olympics but I also don’t want to give myself too much pressure because … that’s when I under perform.”
“After we graduated, we were the only professional swimmers in Michigan training together. When Covid-19 hit, we stuck together, did home workouts, swam in the river, until we really had to go back to Hong Kong. We go way back but it’s really these two years that strengthened our friendship. I’ve learned a lot from her and I’m super humble to be her teammate,” said Yeung, before summarising the influence Haughey’s performance will have in the future on social media.
“You are absolutely amazing. Thank you for inspiring hundreds and thousands of us. To witness … the six years of process in person, I have no words. Congratulations QUEEN you are a champion.”
