Road to Paris Olympics: Hong Kong swimmers Siobhan Haughey, Ian Ho, hit A qualifying standard for 2024 Games
- Ho becomes third athlete from city to qualify after winning 50m free heat in 21.86 seconds at Long Course Time Trial
- Haughey hits 100m free mark after reaching A cut in 400m and 200m free in United States last month
Sprinter Ian Ho Yentou bettered his own Hong Kong record and made it to the 2024 Paris Games after winning his heat in the men’s 50 metre freestyle at the Sports Institute on Sunday.
On the second day of the Festival of Sport Long Course Time Trial Championships, Ho clocked 21.86 seconds in heat 6, 0.11 seconds faster than his previous best set two years ago, easily meeting the A qualifying standard for next year’s Olympics of 21.96.
The Tokyo Olympian slowed his pace for the afternoon’s final, which he won in 22.25.
Ho, 25, was the first male swimmer from Hong Kong to reach an A qualifying time when he secured his spot at the Tokyo Games in the same event.
Chen Jianhong, the Hong Kong head coach, said before the event, which was held behind closed doors because officials were afraid athletes could be exposed to Covid-19, that Ho was prepared to make it for a second time.
Star swimmer Siobhan Haughey, who won the 50-metre freestyle on Saturday in a time of 24.74, just fell short of the 24.70 qualifying mark, made amends on the second day, winning the 100-metre freestyle in 53.10.
The result was still slower than her Hong Kong record 52.27, which she set on her way to winning silver at the Tokyo Olympics, but was inside the qualifying time of 53.61.
Haughey had previously met the Paris standard in the 200m and 400m freestyle at last month’s Pro Swim Series in Florida.
So far, three Hong Kong swimmers have secured five spots for the Paris Olympics, just two months after the qualification process began.
“This time the qualification process has gone very well for the team,” Chen said.
“We can relieve some of the pressure of having booked Paris tickets at such an early stage and these athletes can now focus on the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou this summer and the Paris Olympics.
“For Haughey, we do not worry too much about her qualification [in the 100 metres]. The team just returned from a high-altitude training camp and the swimmers are still adjusting to the conditions. But still she managed to get it.
“We may have one or two more [reaching the A cut] but will not name who as we do not want to give them pressure. We will see how it goes.”
The A qualifying standard corresponds to the time achieved by the 14th place swimmer in the respective preliminary heats of each event at the previous games.
Alongside Ho and Haughey, talented teenager Cindy Cheung Sum-yuet has also secured a spot in Paris.
The 16-year-old caused a major surprise on Saturday when she made it in the women’s 200 metre backstroke with a Hong Kong junior record time of 2:10.35.
She also became the youngest swimmer ever from the city to earn an Olympic spot at the highest standard.
