Hong Kong’s zero-Covid pool closures could mean zero Siobhan Haugheys in future, says city’s swimming coach

After months of closed pools, Hong Kong swimming coach Chen Jianhong laments ‘waste of talent’ and says some swimmers will miss Asian Games as a result

‘Can they provide us with a scientific reason why swimming was the first sport to be shut down, why pools are usually first to close and last to open?’ he asks

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Siobhan Haughey won two silvers at the Tokyo Olympics, but pool closures have made life tougher for the next generation of Hong Kong talent. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 8:45am, 16 Apr 2022Updated: 1:09pm, 19 Apr 2022

Finding the next Siobhan Haughey is the holy grail for Hong Kong swimming head coach Chen Jianhong, but he fears a succession crisis caused by around 400 days of pool closures under Covid-19 containment measures.

Lack of access to pools will prevent some swimmers competing at this year’s China-hosted Asian Games, said Chen, who called it “a waste of their talent, robbing them of the opportunity to represent Hong Kong”.

It is uncertain when swimming pools will be allowed to reopen in the city after their latest closure in January as a precaution against the spread of the Omicron variant.

That was a significant blow for young swimmers aspiring to follow in the slipstream of Haughey, who won silver medals for Hong Kong in the 100m and 200m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics.

Finding successors to Siobhan Haughey has become more difficult because of Hong Kong’s lack of available facilities, according to the city’s head swimming coach. Photo: AFP

The Hong Kong government this month granted an exemption allowing facilities to reopen for athletes and teams preparing for major competitions, under which one pool has been allocated for elite swimmers. For other swimmers, and the public, the wait to get back in the water goes on.