Hong Kong teen dubbed next Siobhan Haughey ‘embarrassed’ by comparisons to double Olympic silver medallist
- Chloe Cheng has been compared to the swimming star after breaking Haughey’s 400IM city record
- The 17-year-old is part of the Hong Kong squad who will compete in the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest
The Hong Kong teen dubbed “the next Siobhan Haughey” said she was embarrassed by comparisons to the double Olympic silver medallist, despite breaking her 400 individual medley record.
Chloe Cheng said grouping her with Haughey was something of “an exaggeration” ahead of her departure for the World Aquatics Championships, where the pair will compete as part of the same 10-strong Hong Kong squad.
A sixth-form student at Marymount Secondary School in Happy Valley, the 17-year-old earned her moniker after blasting past Haughey’s 400m IM mark of 4 minutes 51.30 seconds, swimming a 4:48.58 last June.
Haughey, who has been passed fit by Hong Kong head coach Chen Jianhong after hurting her right ankle in Dubai last month, arrives at the long course competition having set a new world record in 200m freestyle at the short course version last December.
“I think it’s an exaggeration and a little embarrassing,” Cheng said. “I broke Siobhan’s [2013] record primarily because she recently focused on her freestyle rather than medley.
“I know I’m a long way from Siobhan, she is a world-class swimmer, and what she’s accomplished is very inspiring. I will try my best to see how far I go.”
And there is every indication Cheng could follow in her colleague’s illustrious Olympic footsteps.
