Olympic swim star Toto Wong out to emulate Siobhan Haughey after landing University Sportswoman of the Year award
- The 22-year-old Polytechnic University student also wins Individual Champion award at Sunday’s annual ceremony
- ‘Even though we come from a small city, we can still achieve what people from big countries can achieve,’ Wong says
Newly crowned University Sports Federation of Hong Kong Sportswoman of the Year Toto Wong Kwan-to is looking to emulate the success of Cheung Ka-long and Siobhan Haughey after being inspired by Hong Kong’s Olympic medallists.
The 22-year-old swimmer and Polytechnic University student also won an Individual Champion award at Sunday’s annual ceremony.
“I’m happy to have both prizes – it’s a recognition of all of these years that I have spent swimming,” said Wong, who competed in the women’s 4x100m medley relay at the Tokyo Olympics. “To be in the Olympics is my milestone as a student-athlete.”
The backstroke specialist said that her experience in Tokyo, as well as Hong Kong’s triumphant Olympic medallists including foilist Cheung and swimmer Haughey, greatly inspired her.
“Especially Siobhan – I saw her win two silver medals in Tokyo and I was so moved by crying out her name, and also Ka-long, both of them inspired me a lot,” Wong said.
“They showed us that even though we came from a small city, we can still achieve what people from big countries can achieve.