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Paul McNamara

Olympic champion Sarah Sjostrom has urged Siobhan Haughey to carry on swimming for as long as she enjoys devoting her life to the sport.
Hong Kong superstar Haughey revealed she was considering quitting the pool following her bronze medal swim in Wednesday’s exhilarating women’s 100 metres freestyle final.
Sjostrom claimed gold after making a late decision to add the event to her favourite 50m freestyle in Paris. The Swede is competing at her fifth Olympics. At 30 years old, she is the same age Haughey will be during the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
“Siobhan should continue if she still wants to do the work,” Sjostrom told the Post. “It’s a lot of effort, especially the training coming up to a competition, so the most important thing is that you enjoy the journey. That is what I would encourage her to do.
“I have continued so long, because the past three years I haven’t really talked with my coaches about medals, or exact goals at competitions. We speak more about specific details in training and everyday life, which takes away a lot of the pressure.”

Haughey has four medals from three Olympics after winning 100m and 200m freestyle silvers in Tokyo three years ago.
The 26-year-old is the only swimmer in history to earn both 100m and 200m freestyle medals in two separate Games.
Sjostrom said the pair, who were teammates with Energy Standard in the International Swimming League, had “shown the younger ladies how it’s done”, in a final where they sandwiched American Torri Huske in second.
“I have seen Siobhan train and how hard she works, and I told her before the prize ceremony we were the two oldest ladies in the final,” Sjostrom said.
“I told her, in my first Olympics I was 27th and 29th in my [100m butterfly and 100m backstroke] heats. In London [2012] I was fourth in the 100m butterfly. Finally, in my third Olympics, I won gold in the 100 fly, then I broke my elbow before Tokyo [but still claimed 50m freestyle silver].
“This year, I had my best preparation for an Olympics. I was not only physically ready, I was also mentally ready. Siobhan and I were proud that we could make it to the podium and show the younger ladies how it’s done.”

Haughey has said she was more comfortable in her own skin as an experienced swimmer.
“I knew that to perform my best at the Olympics, I had to make sure the mental side of things was really on point, maybe even more than the physical aspect,” Haughey, who speaks regularly with a sports psychologist, told the Post.
The Hongkonger’s decision over whether to try to replicate Sjostrom’s achievement of winning Olympic gold at the age of 30 could well boil down to whether her enjoyment of training is a fair trade for the increasingly difficult task of recovering from relentlessly gruelling sessions.
“I really love swimming, training and racing,” Haughey said. “My training for the past three years has been different from most swimmers. Instead of being in one pool all year, we have camps all over the world to makes things fun and interesting, and to find high level competition.
“It means we get more racing experience and a change of environment, so we get used to sudden change and what happens outside your comfort zone. It provides a big learning curve … and makes the whole experience more enjoyable. I have great teammates and coaches, so you don’t feel the training too much, because you’re having fun with your friends and travelling the world together.”
Haughey also said Sjostrom’s 100m freestyle gold earned her the right to be called a “trendsetter”.
“In the past, the trend was to retire around mid-20s, but you have Sarah and other older athletes going well past their 30s and doing their best times,” Haughey said. “I think she’s a trendsetter and I’m so happy for her. I know she said it was her last 100 free, but I wouldn’t be surprised if, out of nowhere, she comes back and does it again.”


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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris Olympics: 100m champ Sjostrom tells Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey ‘go for 2028’

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey at the Champions Park at Trocadero in Paris. Photo: AFP

Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden celebrates after winning gold in the women’s 100m freestyle. Photo: Reuters

Gold medallist Sarah Sjostrom (centre), flanked by silver medallist Torri Huske (left) and bronze medallist Siobhan Haughey. Photo: Reuters

Paris Olympics: who is Siobhan Haughey? From reluctant swimmer to Hong Kong medal machine

Siobhan Haughey stands on the Paris podium after winning her second bronze of the 2024 Olympics. Photo: Xinhua

Siobhan Haughey shows off her 100m freestyle silver medal at the Tokyo Games. Photo: Reuters

Long-course world gold arrived in Doha in 2024 for Siobhan Haughey. Photo: Instagram/Siobhan Haughey

Siobhan Haughey swims at Paris’ La Defense Arena. Photo: Reuters

Paris Olympics: Hong Kong queen Siobhan Haughey ‘still happy’ as she extends medal record

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey receives her medal at the Paris La Defense Arena. Photo: AFP

Winner Sarah Sjostrom is 30, the same age Haughey will reach by the time of the next Olympics. Photo: Xinhua

Haughey spends more time in the pool than ever since working with coach Tom Rushton. Photo: Xinhua

Paris Olympics day 4: Haughey wins 100m semi after Biles comeback gold – as it happened

Siobhan Haughey waves after winning her semi-final of the 100m freestyle in Paris. Photo: Xinhua

Hong Kong savours Cheung Ka-long gold, Siobhan Haughey bronze at Paris Olympics

Cheung Ka-long receives his Olympic gold medal after winning the men’s foil title in Paris. Photo: EPA-EFE

Siobhan Haughey (right) displays her medal beside Mollie O’Callaghan (centre) and Ariarne Titmus. Photo: dpa

Sport

Paris Olympics 2024

Aquatics

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s double Olympic bronze medallist in Paris says she hasn’t made up her mind on what future holds


Hong Kong’s double Olympic bronze medallist in Paris says she hasn’t made up her mind on what future holds.


Siobhan Haughey (何詩蓓)

Swimming

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games