Swimming World Cup: Hong Kong’s Haughey takes 400m silver, Douglass smashes 200m record
Siobhan Haughey produces strong swim over unfamiliar distance, Kate Douglass blitz’s previous best, talented teen Li Sum-yiu sets city record
Siobhan Haughey picked up another silver medal as the Incheon leg of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup opened on Thursday, while American Kate Douglass, one of her rivals for the overall crown, smashed the 200m breaststroke world record.
Douglass, who was top of the leaderboard in the women’s rankings after the first leg ended in Shanghai on Sunday, finished first in two minutes and 14.16 seconds, more than five seconds ahead of Australian Tara Kinder, who took silver in 2:19.21. Park Sieun was in third in 2:19.58.
The American’s time was 0.41 seconds faster than the previous record of 2:14.57, set by compatriot Rebecca Soni in 2009.
Haughey, meanwhile, finished second in the 400m freestyle at the Munhak Park Sports Complex, despite leading right up until the 375m mark.
She was overtaken at the turn in the final 25m by Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey, who touched the wall in 3:56.78. Haughey came home in 3:58.06, with Japan’s Waka Kobori taking bronze in 4:04.09.
“Coming into the World Cup, I wasn’t expecting to do the [400m freestyle], so this was a very last-minute decision to switch things up,” Haughey said.
