Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey once again showcased her prowess in the pool, clinching the 100m freestyle gold at the concluding World Cup meet of the year. This victory marks the third consecutive time in as many weeks that Haughey has dominated this race, placing her firmly in second in the overall season rankings.
In addition to her successes in the 100m category, Haughey displayed remarkable consistency by winning three back-to-back 200m freestyle finals. Her time of 52.24 seconds in Budapest was not only impressive for the meet but ranks as the fifth quickest worldwide this year.
This period of intense competition has been both fruitful and tiring for the 25-year-old swimmer. Notably, she made a significant mark at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, bringing home the city’s inaugural gold in swimming. Reflecting on her recent accomplishments and the rigors of competition, Haughey expressed relief and joy, saying, “I am happy I am done with racing.”
Siobhan is eagerly anticipating a short break, where she aims to recharge and enjoy life outside the pool. “Taking a week off will be refreshing. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with old friends, making new acquaintances, and doing some sightseeing,” she shared.
Haughey’s total of 166.4 points allowed her to narrowly surpass China’s formidable swimmer, Zhang Yufei, by a margin of 0.2 points. However, Australian swimming sensation Kaylee McKeown, with her tally of 177.4 points, remained unmatched. Commenting on her performance, Haughey remarked, “I managed some of my best times. It’s a confidence boost and sets a positive tone for next year’s significant races. While the overall second place was always going to be a tight race, I tried not to dwell on it and focus on my races instead.”
Kaylee McKeown, originally from Queensland, had her own series of standout moments. Apart from earning the highest points among female participants, she set a new meet record in the 200m backstroke. McKeown’s achievement of winning the 50m, 100m, and 200m back competitions earned her a distinct “triple-triple” crown. Furthermore, her recent time is just a second slower than the World Cup record she established a week earlier in Athens.
Meanwhile, in the men’s category, China’s Qin Haiyang stole the limelight with 175.4 points, primarily attributed to his incredible performance in the 200m breaststroke. His timing of 2:07.32 ranked sixth globally this year, bettering his own World Cup record from just two weeks prior in Berlin.
READ MORE: