- Former ‘SCMP’ Student of the Year Siobhan Haughey was named one of the city’s best athletes at the 2019 Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards
- She’s considered one of HK’s biggest medal hopes at the Tokyo Games, alongside cycling queen Sarah Lee
Siobhan Haughey, a former Student of the Year in the Sportsperson category, pictured at the Olympic Time Trial at the Sports Institute swimming pool. Photo: Hong Kong Amateur Swimming AssociationHong Kong’s swimming star Siobhan Haughey broke into acclaimed magazine Swimming World’s female world rankings after an outstanding campaign in the 2020 International Swimming League (ISL).
She was ranked 17th of 25 after compiling one of the top MVP scores for team Energy Standard in the season held in a bubble in Budapest, Hungary.
She clocked the ISL’s best women’s 100m and 200m freestyle event times and helped the team to second place.
The Hong Kong teen playing tennis in Spain
Haughey has previously winning the 2013 South China Morning Post Student of the Year - Sportsperson award was a starting point for her amazing journey.
The former student from St Paul’s Secondary School has already qualified for the delayed Tokyo Olympics, and is confirmed eligible for next season’s ISL draft alongside titans Caeleb Dressel (US), Lilly King (US) and Beryl Gastaldello (France).
“Siobhan Haughey made a name for herself during an impressive college career at the University of Michigan, and the 23-year-old from Hong Kong has established herself as a bona fide international contender,” said Swimming World.
The former St Paul's Secondary School student has qualified for the delayed Tokyo Olympics. Photo: HKASA
“Haughey took fourth in the 200m [freestyle] at the 2019 world championships, and she swam as quick as 1:54:44 last year, suggesting she could be in gold medal contention at the Olympics.
“Haughey was also one of the most impressive performers during the 2020 ISL season, recording by far the top times in the 100m and 200m [freestyle short course metres].”
Last month, Haughey swam the world’s fastest time of the year in the 200m freestyle at the Hong Kong Olympic Time Trial in Fo Tan, shattering her own record from the 2019 world championships. She was crowned one of Hong Kong’s best athletes at the postponed 2019 Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards.
The Hongkonger with a dream of field hockey success
Topping Swimming World’s list were Americans Katie Ledecky, King and Regan Smith, who are world record-holders in their respective categories and favourites for the Olympics.
Other Asian swimmers to make the list include Zhang Yufei, of China, who placed 13th after the 23-year-old soared into 100m and 200m butterfly contention last year, Japan’s Yui Ohashi (18th), and Chinese teenager Wang Jianjiahe (19th).
Haughey is considered one of Hong Kong’s biggest medal hopes at the Tokyo Games, along with local track cycling queen Sarah Lee Wai-sze.
Could this teen be the world’s first Sikh boxing champ?
Haughey came within a whisker of winning a historic bronze medal in her pet event, the 200m freestyle, at the 2019 world championships in Gwangju, South Korea, where she finished fourth.
She qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and was selected to represent Hong Kong in the women’s 200 metre freestyle and 200 metre individual medley.