Siobhan Haughey, who won Hong Kong's first-ever swimming medal at the Olympics, encourages young Hong Kong athletes to keep training, saying it will be their turn soon.
This is also the first time that Hong Kong has won two medals in an Olympic games – marking the city’s best-ever performance – Haughey subsequently broke the Asian 200m freestyle record clocking in at 1:53.92.
Haughey, who won silver in the 200-meter freestyle contest, was delighted to be on the podium.
"I hope Cheung Ka-long and my performances this Olympics can motivate fellow Hong Kong athletes competing in the games, they can do it. And also the athletes watching at home in Hong Kong—keep training, because it will be your turn soon," said Haughey in a post-race interview.
“I hope everyone can continue to support Hong Kong athletes. The competitions may be over in a few minutes’ time, with a lucky few being able to enjoy the ‘glory moments’, but what people cannot see are the effort and hard work committed by them,” she stressed.
She also thanked her coaches and parents for their support which allowed her to achieve what she could today.
“I knew I wanted to make the final at this meet and I feel like I always was so close to making the podium. To now finally being able to medal means so much," she said.
Winning a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle at the World Junior Championships in 2013 at age 15, Haughey missed out on the final in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and failed to make the podium in the world swimming championships in both 2017 and 2019.
But the silver medal today is not the end for Haughey as she cruises back to the pool on Wednesday night in the women's 100-meter freestyle heat at 6.02pm and the 200-meter freestyle relay as part of the Hong Kong team at 7.34pm. She also has the 50-meter freestyle individual event and a medley relay coming up.
