Asian Games 2023: Siobhan Haughey is happy to ‘bring glory to Hong Kong’ after another golden performance
- Swimming superstar breaks her own continental record to claim Asian Games gold in the 100m freestyle final
- Haughey dominates field in Hangzhou to add second gold after 200m freestyle glory – and she is hungry for more
Siobhan Haughey said she was thrilled to “bring glory to Hong Kong” after she emphatically claimed her second Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou on Tuesday.
The city’s leading swimmer romped to victory in the 100 metres freestyle, breaking her own Asian record as she lowered the personal best she had set when winning silver at the Tokyo Olympic Games two years ago.
Haughey touched home in 52.17 seconds, with clear water and 0.94 seconds separating her from Chinese silver medallist Yang Junxuan.
Fellow Hongkonger Tam Hoi-lam came home in eighth position after finishing in 55.74.
The 200m freestyle gold Haughey had won on Monday – her first major long-course gold medal – had served to raise expectations for a repeat in the 100m, heightened further when she qualified fastest for the final.
And the 25-year-old wore her favourites’ tag lightly, swimming with confidence and control to open a comfortable advantage by the turn, before racing away from the field in a show of dominance.
“It’s been almost two years since I last swam my personal best, so being able to do it and smash the Asian record in the process, I am really satisfied,” said Haughey, who took a tenth of a second off her old mark.
“I wasn’t thinking too much [about targets], really, but I know this is what I am capable of, so I am glad I did it. I’m only trying my best. I’m happy with the medal, obviously, and to bring glory to Hong Kong.”
Haughey’s double success in Hangzhou adds to the World Championships 100m freestyle silver she won in July.
And she might not be finished there. Having also this week claimed bronze medals in the 50m breaststroke and 4x100m freestyle, she will be back in the pool on Thursday, when she begins her quest for 50m freestyle gold.
The medal pursuit will continue in the 4x100m medley relay on Friday.
“Finally, there is a rest day [on Wednesday] – I hope I recover well, so I can perform well on my final two race days,” she said.
Compatriot Tam had been second in her heat behind eventual bronze medallist, Cheng Yujie of China. The 24-year-old marginally improved on her qualifying time of 55.80 to swim 55.74 in the final, but touched home eighth.
“I enjoyed the process, although my time might not be really good,” said Tam, who was a member of the 4x100m relay bronze-winning team.
“Getting a medal in the team event was one of my targets, and reaching an individual final was the other, so I am happy.”
Cindy Cheung Sum-yuet, Haughey’s 17-year-old heir apparent, finished fifth in the women’s 200m backstroke final.
It was won by Peng Xuwei of China, who finished 1.42 seconds in front of her compatriot Liu Yaxin, in second place.
Teenager Cheung, who finished in two minutes, 12.44 seconds, banked valuable experience in her first major final, ahead of an expected Olympic Games debut next year.
She has booked her spot in Paris, having swum the Olympic “A” qualifying time in April.
