Ahead of Asian Games, Siobhan Haughey Imparting Wisdom to Younger Generation
From an All-American career at the University of Michigan to medaling for Hong Kong at major international competitions, Siobhan Haughey has been one of the sport’s steadiest performers over the past decade. Now, the 28-year-old veteran is preparing for her biggest meet of 2026, next month’s Asian Games in Tokyo, where she will be the defending champion in the 100-meter freestyle or 200 freestyle.
The meet will mark Haughey’s latest foray into global waters, and the chance to match the performances registered during the summer at the Commonwealth Games, European Championships and Pan Pacific Championships. But Haughey isn’t just focused on her efforts. She has taken a leadership role with the Hong Kong squad, seeking to prepare her younger teammates for the rigors of the Asian Games.
“Each sharing session has a theme, such as how to prepare for major competitions, how to deal with pressure, nutrition, and more,” Haughey said in an interview with the South China Morning Post. “There is an age difference, but I hope to build friendships with them. We’re equals, so they don’t need to be afraid.”
In the article, Haughey spoke about her Olympic debut, at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Then an 18-year-old, Haughey was so focused on racing that she has minimal memories about the Athletes Village, dining hall or crowd. In the years that followed, including Olympic appearances in Tokyo and Paris that yielded four medals, Haughey was more prepared for the immensity of the moment.
At the last edition of the Asian Games, which were held in 2023 in Hangzhou, Haughey claimed dominant victories in the 1oo freestyle and 200 freestyle. She added a silver medal in the 50 freestyle and was the bronze medalist in the 50 breaststroke. Aside from her quartet of Olympic medals, her career also includes 10 medals between the long-course and short-course versions of the World Championships.
With the Asian Games unfolding last among the year’s four regional championships, Haughey knows what the rest of the world has done. In the 100 freestyle, it’s been a campaign of unprecedented speed, Marrit Steenbergen setting a world record of 51.68 and Kate Douglass scaring that effort with an American standard of 51.69. As for the 200 freestyle, Mollie O’Callaghan owns the top time in the world, a 1:52.86 from June’s Australian Trials for the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs.
Entering the Asian Games, Haughey has a season best of 52.36 in the 100 freestyle and 1:54.16 in the 200 freestyle, both performances turned in during the Canet stop of the Mare Nostrum Series. Those efforts are not far off Haughey’s career-best times of 52.02 and 1:53.92, proof that she continues to flourish in her late 20s.
“Age is not a limit for me,” Haughey said.