Olympian Siobhan Haughey Continues Special Relationship With Hong Kong Fans Through Art
When Siobhan Haughey won two Olympic medals at the Tokyo Olympics, her status in her native Hong Kong changed dramatically.
She went from a quiet athlete known to some, to a national hero, the most decorated Olympic athlete in Hong Kong history.
Haughey, while somewhat reluctant to be in the spotlight, has embraced her popularity at home and enjoyed interacting with fans.
Just as leading up to Tokyo, hundreds of fans sent Haughey artwork depicting her that they created, everyone from small children to professional artists, wishing her good luck at the upcoming Olympics.
She has been the face of Hong Kong Olympics.
After winning two more Olympic medals, she now has two silver and two bronze – one each in the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle, still the most decorated Olympian in Hong Kong history.
But as much as Haughey doesn’t seek out the limelight, she has done her part to interact with fans as much as she can after the Olympics concluded.
Just like after Tokyo, she took the time to post many of the pieces of art sent to her, tagging the artist in each spot and posting it on Instagram.
“People started tagging me on these posts after my silver medal in the 200 free (in Tokyo). I wasn’t really on social media during the Olympics so I didn’t really see them until after all of my races,” Siobhan Haughey told Swimming World. “It’s so touching to me seeing all these people put their effort and time into these artworks. It’s their way of showing their support to me and it means a lot. I’ve gotten around 300 artworks now and I’m still getting more every day. I try to repost these artwork so other people can enjoy them too, because these artists are so talented. It’s also my way of showing my appreciation and thanking them for their work.”
The artwork itself is remarkable, but the relationship Haughey continues to cultivate with fans is what makes her even more of a national hero than her elite swimming.
What a fun thing to do!