World Aquatics Championships: Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey wins historic first gold in 200 metres freestyle, and says ‘finally!’
- Haughey is dominant in Doha to claim her first ever gold – and Hong Kong’s – in a global championships or Games held in an Olympic-standard 50m pool
- ‘I know a lot of people are watching and their support means so much to me,’ she says. ‘I keep getting all these nice messages and I hope I make them proud’
Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong said she was glad the wait was over after she won a historic first gold medal for her city at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha.
The 26-year-old dominated the 200 metres freestyle final in the early hours of Thursday, Hong Kong time, delivering a masterclass in her signature event to finish ahead of Erika Fairweather of New Zealand.
It was her first global gold in an Olympic-standard 50m pool, following fourth-place finishes in the 2019 and 2023 editions, and missing the 2022 worlds because of injury. Small wonder, then, that her reaction was: “Finally!”
“Finally, I get to not only be on the podium, but on top of it,” she told governing body World Aquatics.
“This means so much – first gold medal for Hong Kong. I know a lot of people are watching and their support means so much to me. I keep getting all these nice messages and I hope I make them proud.”
Haughey was a body length clear at the halfway point, under world-record pace at 150m, then slowed marginally to touch the wall in one minute, 54.89 seconds.
