Siobhan Haughey Completes World Cup 200 Free Sweep, Poised For Another Stunning Short-Course Worlds
After record-setting performances in Toronto, all eyes were on Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh eyeing more big swims at the 2022 FINA World Cup stop in Indianapolis.
This time, the showdown was in the 200 freestyle.
But this time, the moment was quietly taken by Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, who swept the 200 freestyle crown in all three World Cup stops, and who quietly remains one of the world’s best swimmers.
It was one of the best races in the World Cup, showing how much a loaded field can produce results.
• Results
It also shows how dominant Haughey has been. She became the first Hong Kong swimmer to medal at the Olympics and did it twice, earning silver medals in the 100 free and 200 free.
In this race, she bested Ledecky’s best time in the short-course event and still won by nearly a second. Haughey won in 1:51.19, ahead of Ledecky (1:52.10), Madison Wilson (1:52.23), Bella Sims (1:52.59), breaking the world junior record, and McIntosh (1:52.63).
It gave her the sweep of the event at the World Cup.
“The first stop, I was just trying to swim it because I hadn’t swam short-course meters in a while,” Siobhan Haughey said. “In Toronto, I was focused more on the back-half of it. This one was just piecing everything together. It is great that I have so many opportunities to work on my details.”
Details are what got Haughey to make Hong Kong history — and earn the short-course world record in the 200 free (1:50.31) at last year’s worlds.
Details are what kept her moving forward after the Olympics, which became more of a breakout beginning to the next stage of her already spectacular career.
And details will get her ready for the next steps at world championships and eventually the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Right after the Olympics, we had ISL and that was short-course. I was swimming a little different without long-course training. It was really fun and it helped me head into the season with a new perspective,” Siobhan Haughey said. “With the (ankle) injury this year, I was training pretty well before the injury, but I was able to (get back into gear).”
On top of dealing with injuries and avoiding the post-Olympic struggles, Haughey has also had to deal with becoming more of a recognized face in Hong Kong.
After all, she is the most decorated Hong Kong Olympian.
“I need more time to get used to it because it is weird when you go out into the public and they recognize you,” she said. “It is a good thing, because it means people are following my swimming career, but as a very shy person, it is still kind of intimidating, but for the most part, I am just training so I don’t go out that much. But I am still not used to it.”
Ledecky was pleased with her race, especially her first time racing short-course meters in a while.
“It was a best time. I am still learning how to swim short-course meters,” she said. “Anytime I can go a best time, especially in a tough field, it’s great.”
Ledecky and Haughey have raced head-to-head many times over the years, on the biggest stages from the NCAA championships, the ISL and World Championships to the Olympics. They have brought the best out of each other in the world’s biggest races.
“She obviously has the 200 free — short-course and long-course — down really well,” Ledecky said of Haughey. “It is really fun when I get to race her. I raced her in college a little bit and she has obviously taken off since then and had a great career. I can’t wait to see what she can do next.”
The next big moment might be a the 2022 FINA Short Course World Championships in Melbourne.
“This racing is great (to get ready for worlds). In Hong Kong, we don’t really have competitions like these,” Siobhan Haughey said. “It is great to go to international races when you might be tired, you might be jet-lagged and you have all of these great swimmers to race against. Each one is like a mini rehearsal for world championships.”