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Siobhán HAUGHEY
Sport Swimming
NOC Hong Kong, China   
GenderWomen
Born31 Oct 1997
Height1.77 m
 Human Interest 
General Interest
Milestones
She became the first swimmer representing Hong Kong, China to win a medal at the Olympic Games, when she claimed silver in the 200m freestyle at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. She also won silver in the 100m freestyle at the 2020 Games, which made her the first athlete representing Hong Kong, China in any sport to win more than one medal at a single edition of the Olympic Games. (SportsDeskOnline, 22 Nov 2021)

She became the first swimmer representing Hong Kong, China to win a medal at the world short course championships when she claimed gold in the 200m freestyle at the 2021 edition in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (SportsDeskOnline, 13 Jan 2022; hksi.org.hk, 21 Dec 2021)

She was the first swimmer representing Hong Kong, China to reach the final of an individual event at the world championships. She went on to place fifth in the 200m freestyle at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. (SportsDeskOnline, 29 Jan 2021; elle.com.hk, 07 Aug 2017)
Nicknames
The Little Mermaid (elle.com.hk, 07 Aug 2017)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." [from the movie 'Mulan'] (sportsroad.hk, 10 Nov 2015)
Further Personal Information
Residence
Hong Kong, CHN
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
Hong Kong Sports Institute [HKSI]: Hong Kong, China
General Interest
Hero / Idol
Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjostrom. (hk01.com, 24 Jul 2019)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach
Rick Bishop
Training Regime
She trains for around 30 hours each week, including 10 sessions in the pool and three gym sessions. She also incorporates yoga into her training schedule.
General Interest
Other information
FUTURE GOALS
In late 2021 she said she had not decided on any long-term goals. "I think this is the first time in my life where I don't really have a long-term plan. I'm trying to take it one year at a time right now. In the past, I think I had very clear goals - 'I want to make it to Rio [2016 Olympic Games]', or, 'I want to make it to Tokyo [2020 Olympic Games]'. I don't really know what I want yet. Maybe I'm still trying to figure it out. I'm just taking it one year at a time. I know I still like swimming, and I'm really enjoying what I'm doing right now, maybe more than I did before." (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 15 Dec 2021)
Ambitions
To compete at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China, the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (scmp.com, 23 Jan 2023; swimswam.com, 24 Jan 2023)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
She went to swimming lessons with her older sister Aisling. Swimming began as a hobby, but coaches soon noticed she had natural talent for the sport. "My parents loved swimming, and we lived in a building with a swimming pool. On the weekends, my parents would bring me and my older sister to the pool to teach us to swim. It came to the point where they couldn't teach my sister anything more because she wouldn't listen to them, so they brought her to a swimming club close by. When I was younger, I really hated swimming. Different coaches told my parents I had talent and I shouldn't give up swimming. The more I swam, the more I realised I actually liked swimming."
General Interest
Awards and honours
In January 2023 she was named Swimmer of the Year by the Hong Kong Swimming Coaches Association. (scmp.com, 23 Jan 2023)

In 2022 she won the Best of the Best Sports Stars award in Hong Kong, China. (scmp.com, 31 Aug 2022)

She was named 2021 Asian Female Swimmer of the Year by swimming news website SwimSwam. (swimswam.com, 22 Dec 2021)

She was name Best Female Swimmer at the 2021 World Short Course Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (FINA Facebook page, 22 Dec 2021; scmp.com, 22 Dec 2021)

She was featured in a limited edition range of stamps called 'Congratulations on the Outstanding Achievements of the Hong Kong, China Delegation at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games', which was issued by Hongkong Post. (takungpao.com, 10 Sep 2021)

She was named joint winner of the 2019 Female Swimmer of the Year award by the Hong Kong Swimming Coaches' Association. (news.mingpao.com, 04 Jan 2020)

In 2019 she was presented with the Big Ten Medal of Honor by the athletic department of the University of Michigan in the United States of America. (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 15 Apr 2019)

She was named the 2013 Most Improved Swimmer of the Year by the Hong Kong Swimming Coaches' Association. (harrywright.com.hk, 07 Dec 2013)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She learned to swim at age five at the South China Athletic Association in Hong Kong, China.
Further Personal Information
Occupation
Athlete
Languages
Cantonese, English, French, Mandarin
Higher education
Psychology - University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, MI, USA
General Interest
Injuries
An injury to her right ankle meant she was unable to compete at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. (scmp.com, 23 Jan 2023, 20 Jun 2022)

She withdrew from the semifinals of the 50m freestyle at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo due to a lower back injury. (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 15 Dec 2021)

She began experiencing problems with her foot in December 2017, and the injury affected her preparations ahead of the 2018 National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA] Championships in the United States of America. She consulted eight specialists, who were unable to identify the cause of the problem, and in May 2018 she saw an acupuncturist in Hong Kong, China that had been recommended by a coach from the Hong Kong Sports Institute [HKSI]. She was diagnosed with inflamed cartilage around her ankle, and was forced to pull out of the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. (scmp.com, 26 Jun 2018)
Famous relatives
Her older sister Aisling Haughey has represented Hong Kong, China in swimming at World Cup events. (SportsDeskOnline, 10 May 2018; hk01.com, 22 Aug 2017)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2021 Tokyo, JPN 200m Freestyle 1:53.92
17 2021 Tokyo, JPN 50m Freestyle 24.75
2 2021 Tokyo, JPN 100m Freestyle 52.27
13 2021 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 4:02.86
Heats 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Individual Medley  DNS
Semifinal 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Freestyle 1:57.56
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2024 Doha, QAT 100m Breaststroke 1:05.92 
1 2024 Doha, QAT 200m Freestyle 1:54.89
2 2024 Doha, QAT 100m Freestyle 52.56
8 2024 Doha, QAT 4 x 100m Medley Relay 4:03.15 
4 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 200m Freestyle 1:53.96
2 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 100m Freestyle 52.49
Heats 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Heats 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
  2022 Budapest, HUN 200m Freestyle DNS
  2022 Budapest, HUN 100m Freestyle DNS
4 2019 Gwangju, KOR 200m Freestyle 1:54.98
Semifinal 2019 Gwangju, KOR 100m Freestyle 53.45
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
5 2017 Budapest, HUN 200m Freestyle 1:55.96
Semifinal 2017 Budapest, HUN 100m Freestyle 54.05
Heats 2017 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay  
Heats 2017 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
Semifinal 2015 Kazan, RUS 200m Individual Medley 2:13.26
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 100m Freestyle 54.95
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 50m Freestyle 25.85
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:42.11
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 8:06.51
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
1 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 200m Freestyle 1:51.65
2 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 100m Freestyle 50.87
3 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE 400m Freestyle 3:58.12
1 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE 200m Freestyle 1:50.31
1 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE 100m Freestyle 50.98
7 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:30.43
World Cup
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2023   Overall Ranking  
1 2023 Athens, GRE 200m Freestyle 1:55.03
1 2023 Athens, GRE 100m Freestyle 52.55
2 2023 Athens, GRE 50m Breaststroke 30.36
1 2023 Berlin, GER 200m Freestyle 1:55.10
3 2023 Berlin, GER 400m Freestyle 4:05.30
1 2023 Berlin, GER 100m Freestyle 52.02
2 2023 Budapest, HUN 50m Freestyle 24.30
1 2023 Budapest, HUN 200m Freestyle 1:54.08
1 2023 Budapest, HUN 100m Freestyle 52.24
1 2022 Berlin, GER 100m Freestyle 51.59
1 2022 Berlin, GER 400m Freestyle 3:56.52
1 2022 Berlin, GER 200m Freestyle 1:51.36
1 2022 Indianapolis, IN, USA 100m Freestyle 51.00
4 2022 Indianapolis, IN, USA 50m Freestyle 23.88
1 2022 Indianapolis, IN, USA 200m Freestyle 1:51.19
1 2022 Toronto, ON, CAN 200m Freestyle 1:51.13
1 2022 Toronto, ON, CAN 100m Freestyle 51.33
3 2022 Toronto, ON, CAN 400m Freestyle 3:58.50
60 2014   Overall  
3 2014 Hong Kong, CHN 100m Freestyle 53.72
1 2014 Hong Kong, CHN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:33.65
Asian Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 50m Breaststroke 30.36
1 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 200m Freestyle 1:54.12
1 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 100m Freestyle 52.17
2 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 50m Freestyle 24.34
4 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 8:02.42
3 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 4:01.72
3 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:39.10
4 2014 Incheon, KOR 200m Freestyle 1:59.66
5 2014 Incheon, KOR 50m Freestyle 25.53
8 2014 Incheon, KOR 200m Individual Medley 2:15.63
4 2014 Incheon, KOR 100m Freestyle 54.94
3 2014 Incheon, KOR 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 8:04.55
3 2014 Incheon, KOR 4 x 100m Medley Relay 4:07.15
3 2014 Incheon, KOR 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:39.94