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

  • A fourth Olympic medal in Paris adds to a collection including world gold – not bad for a child who used to cry when taken to the pool

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

If someone told Siobhan Haughey the sky was the limit, she would try to find a way to swim through it.

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Throughout her swimming career, Haughey, 26, has advanced wave upon wave and on Wednesday, already the most decorated Hong Kong Olympian, she extended her career haul to four medals.

Haughey punched the wall third in the women’s 100 metres freestyle final in the Paris La Defense Arena in 52.33 seconds, finishing 0.17 seconds behind the 52.16 of winner Sarah Sjostrom, the world record-holder.

Two days before, Haughey had again come within tenths of a second of winning gold. She was leading the women’s 200m freestyle for the first 150m, but eventually finished third in 1:54.55.

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

She was overtaken by Mollie O’Callaghan, whose time of 1:53.27 was an Olympic record, and defending champion and world record-holder Ariarne Titmus, who took silver in 1:53.81.

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Three years ago in Tokyo, Haughey became the first Hong Kong swimmer to win an Olympic medal of any colour when she earned silver in both the 100m and 200m freestyle.

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