Hong Kong swimming prodigy Cindy Cheung follows Siobhan Haughey in qualifying for 2024 Paris Olympics
- The 16-year-old DGS student finishes first in women’s 200m backstroke in 2:10.35 to make A-cut at Long Course Time Trial
- Star swimmer Haughey makes two B cuts in the 100m butterfly and 50m free behind closed doors at Sports Institute in Fo Tan
Hong Kong teen swimmer Cindy Cheung Sum-yuet has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after reaching the women’s 200-metre backstroke A qualifying standard at Saturday’s Long Course Time Trial.
The 16-year-old prodigy won her race behind closed doors at the Sports Institute in Fo Tan in two minutes and 10.35 seconds – six seconds faster than second-placed Jessica Cheng’s 2:16.83.
Although the result at the two-day Sports Festival event fell short of Claudia Lau Yin-yan’s Hong Kong record 2:09.33, it was good enough to send Cheung to next year’s Games.
Cheung had already given evidence of her potential when she made it to the final of last year’s junior World Championships in Peru, where she finished in a creditable sixth place.
Star swimmer Siobhan Haughey already made the A cut in both the 400m and 200m freestyle events at the Pro Swim Series in the United States last month.
Head coach Chen Jianhong was slightly caught by surprise following Cheung’s stunning performance, although he did tip her as a young star to watch.
“We thought she had a chance of reaching the A standard following her training progress, but maybe not be at such a young age, as we didn’t want to give her any pressure,” Chen said.
“But she made every detail so perfectly today, almost reaching 100 per cent of her best. This is also the hard work of her coaches.
“Cheung has been in the Hong Kong team for just over a year and we hope this is just the beginning and will set some higher targets for her as she has proved she can do it.”
Haughey, meanwhile, broke another Hong Kong record in the 100m butterfly on Saturday. She finished the race in 58.12 seconds, bettering the 58.24 mark of Hannah Wilson when she won the event at the 2009 World University Games.
Later on, Haughey also won the 50m freestyle in 24.74, falling short of her own Hong Kong record of 24.59 she set two years ago. But both results were good enough for the B qualifying standard for Paris.
Haughey will compete again at the Fo Tan training centre on Sunday when she races in the 100m freestyle, the event in which she lifted a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Elsewhere, Adam Chillingworth bettered his own Hong Kong record in the 200m breaststroke when he clocked 2:11.31. His previous best was 2:12.17, set in UK last year.
