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Tom Bell

The second full day of the Paris Olympics ended with a witching hour to savour for those awake in Hong Kong, and ensured pleasant breakfast reading for those who were not.
It was nearly 4am when swimmer Siobhan Haughey qualified for the final of the 200 metres freestyle, rounding off a Sunday in which table tennis mixed doubles duo Wong Chun-ting and Doo Hoi-kem also got within reach of a podium.
Medals could be clinched on what threatens to be a magical Monday, with fencer Cheung Ka-long, Haughey’s fellow Hong Kong flag-bearer, also harbouring serious aspirations.

Elsewhere on Sunday, the basketball courts were graced by the star-studded United States men’s squad, and disgraced, according to some on social media, by China’s women.
It was the pool, though, where many eyes in Hong Kong and mainland China were trained. For those who had places to be on Monday morning, here is what you missed.
Haughey on course
Hong Kong’s leading swimmer came into the Games as arguably her city’s best bet for a medal of some description.
She will have two chances, in the 200m then 100m freestyle, and her first day in the former started according to plan as she cruised home second in her heat.
The 26-year-old appeared to have energy to spare – while viewers in Hong Kong squinted at 3.55am – as she finished third in her semi-final, sending her into the final fourth fastest overall.
That semi-final was where the threat to Haughey’s ambitions lay, however. Ariarne Titmus, who beat her to gold in Tokyo three years ago, and fellow Australian Mollie O’Callaghan looked equally serene in the two lanes next door.
They are the green-and-gold demons imperilling Haughey’s quest in the next witching hour, around 3.40am on Tuesday if you’re in Hong Kong. But as Haughey’s coach Tom Rushton put it, “so far, so good”.
Basketball layups and letdowns
LeBron James and his fellow NBA stars began their Games with a 110-84 win for Team USA over Serbia.
Kevin Durant returned after injury and led the American scoring with 23 points, ahead of James’ 21, and Stephen Curry chipped in with 11.
This team have been dubbed the Avengers, and will take some stopping, as Serbia’s reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic discovered.
Almost vengeful were China’s fans after the country’s women’s team took a layup, worth two points, rather than the three-pointer they needed to draw level with Spain. Then then let the clock run down in a 90-89 loss.
“Completely unacceptable!” one viewer said on Weibo. “Truly some of the MOST despicable basketball ever witnessed,” another tweeted.

China’s rugby rise
The country had more to cheer at the Stade de France, where the women’s rugby sevens was under way.
China faced Fiji, who won bronze at the last Games in Tokyo, in what amounted to a gauge of their potential. And they dealt out a lesson to a Pacific island nation steeped in the game, winning 40-12.
New Zealand and Australia are expected to contest gold, but China could join them on the podium’s lowest step, at least.
Paddlers progress
Table tennis mixed doubles pair Wong and Doo said they were taking a leaf out of newly gold-clad Vivian Kong Man-wai’s book as they closed in on the medal places.
They fought back from a spot of bother to see off Spanish paddlers Alvaro Robles and Maria Xiao and reach Monday’s semis, then said they had conjured up a bit of the “Hong Kong spirit” Kong summoned in winning her épée title the previous day.
“She came back from behind to win in the final,” Doo noted afterwards. “We also trailed … so it proved there’s always a chance as long as you don’t give up.”

Qin stunned
While Haughey’s form proved reliable, the pool also brought a men’s 100 metres breaststroke final that produced the unexpected.
This always looked one of the most epic contests in any sport in these Games: Adam Peaty of Great Britain, champion at the past two Olympics, against Qin Haiyang of China.
Peaty is the fastest in history, while Qin broke new ground by winning the 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke titles at last year’s World Championships.
Qin went off quickest and led at halfway. Chasing a rare Olympic swimming three-peat, Peaty overhauled him. But he in turn had his thunder stolen by the late charge of Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, who claimed a shock gold.
That left Peaty sharing silver with Nic Fink of the US, and Qin nowhere, in seventh.
As Monday may show us, silver means different things to different people.


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While you were sleeping: 5 things to know after Haughey earns medal shot at Paris Olympics

An underwater view shows Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey swimming in the 200m freestyle in Paris. Photo: AFP

The women’s 200m freestyle heats offered the first glimpse of Siobhan Haughey in the pool. Photo: Reuters

LeBron James in possession against Serbia at Lille’s Pierre Mauroy Stadium. Photo: Reuters

Doo Hoi-kem and Wong Chun-ting in action during the Olympic mixed doubles tournament. Photo: Reuters

Paris Olympics: Vivian Kong’s historic gold sparks day of celebration in Hong Kong

Vivian Kong said she drew on the “Hong Kong spirit” to bring home her Olympic gold. Photo: SF&OC

Vivian Kong’s stunning triumph draws a crowd even at 4am at Olympian City in Tai Kok Tsui. Photo: Edmond So

Chief Executive John Lee speaks at Hong Kong airport on Sunday before his Asean trip. Photo: Edmond So

People watch Siobhan Haughey swim at the Olympic display outside Sogo in Causeway Bay. Photo: Edmond So

Paris Olympics: Australians throw down gauntlet to Hong Kong’s Haughey in 200m freestyle

Siobhan Haughey’s Paris Olympics campaign is under way. Photo: AFP

Haughey will need to be quick off the blocks to get the better of her 200 metres freestyle rivals. Photo: AFP

Ariarne Titmus is turning her attention to 200 metres glory after winning gold in the 400m. Photo: AP 

Relay champion Mollie O’Callaghan is targeting her first individual Olympic honours. Photo: Reuters

Paris Olympics day 2: Haughey into 200m final, USA basketball men win – as it happened

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey swims in 200m freestyle qualifying at the Paris La Defense Arena. Photo: AFP

Sport

Paris Olympics 2024

Aquatics

Hong Kong

China

Table Tennis

Day two saw thrills and spills in the pool, a podium chance for Hong Kong in table tennis and varying basketball fortunes for US and China


Day two saw thrills and spills in the pool, a podium chance for Hong Kong in table tennis and varying basketball fortunes for US and China.
