Paris Olympics, Day 4 Semifinals: Siobhan Haughey Leads Field in 100 Freestyle; Aussies Chasing
Between the Olympic Games in Tokyo and the first half of the Games in Paris, Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey has collected two silver medals and a bronze medal. Can she capture gold next?
Winning the first of two semifinals in 52.64, Haughey secured the top seed for the final of the 100-meter freestyle, where she is the reigning silver medalist. Haughey will fight for the Olympic crown in a tight field that could produce any number of outcomes on Wednesday night. One of those scenarios is Haughey standing on the top of the podium, although it won’t be an easy task.
Haughey qualified for the final ahead of the Australian tandem of Shayna Jack (52.72) and Mollie O’Callaghan (52.75), who was the gold medalist in the 200 freestyle on Monday night. O’Callaghan owns a pair of world titles in the 100 freestyle and has the best closing speed in the field. If Haughey, or anyone in the field, plans to beat O’Callaghan to the wall, it will require a cushion at the midway point of the race.
China’s Yang Junxuan advanced in the No. 4 position, thanks to a swim of 52.81. She was followed by the Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen, who clocked in at 52.86.
Just a few weeks ago, Sarah Sjostrom didn’t have plans to contest the 100-meter freestyle at the Olympic Games in Paris. The Swedish star was solely focus on the 50 freestyle and relay duty for her country. But when the four-time Olympic medalist learned there was a buffer between the final of the 100 freestyle and the start of the 50 free, she altered her program. Now, Sjostrom is chasing gold in the event.
Sjostrom moved into the final as the sixth seed, off a mark of 52.87. She’ll be joined in the chase for medals by the American duo of Torri Huske (52.99) and Gretchen Walsh (53.18).
