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Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey in action at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Photo: AFP
SportHong Kong

Tokyo Olympics: Siobhan Haughey stuns herself with 100m freestyle Asian record as she caps glorious day in pool

  • Haughey sets a new personal best in 100m after her silver medal exploits in the 200m freestyle earlier on Wednesday
  • The 23-year-old says medal success ‘feels like a dream’
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
Paul Ryding
Paul Rydingin Tokyo
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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 ensured Tokyo 2020 will be Hong Kong’s most successful Olympics campaign of all time.
Siobhan Haughey, the Hong Kong Olympic star who lived up to the hype – and more

The 23-year-old, who has been in fantastic form throughout the past 12 months, improved on her personal best time of 52.92 set in Hong Kong earlier this year.

“I wasn’t expecting to go my best time in the heats so the fact that I did was like, ‘oh, I guess I can do faster tomorrow!’” Haughey said.

Haughey was drawn next to Emma McKeown, who set an Olympic record time of 52.13 in the heat and on Saturday won the 4x100m free title with her Australian teammates. She also has the second fastest 100m free time of 2021 with 52.19.

She and Sweden’s Sarah Sjoestroem, the current world record holder (51.71), are likely to be Haughey’s strongest competition in the 100m free.

Reflecting on her earlier heroics, Haughey said it didn’t seem real.

“I’m really happy. It still feels like a dream sometimes because I’ve been dreaming about this moment for so long and now that it’s happening, it’s crazy.”

The semi-final heats begin on Thursday at 9.53am (Hong Kong time).

Haughey’s incredible 100m freestyle heat.

Earlier on Wednesday, it was confirmed that Hong Kong had withdrawn its 4x200m freestyle relay team to allow Haughey to concentrate on her individual events.

Hong Kong Sports Institute swimming head coach Chen Jianhong said his team had shown great team spirit with their sacrifice.

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