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Hong Kong swimmer Siobhan Haughey after a successful display at the Olympic Time Trial at the Sports Institute. Photo: Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association
SportHong Kong

Tokyo 2020 Games: Siobhan Haughey is Hong Kong’s best hope but ‘don’t give her pressure’, says Olympian Alex Fong

  • Former national swimmer praises city’s qualified athletes – ‘we’ve never had such a good opportunity to get results’
  • ‘Little Flying Fish’ Fong lays out his Olympic broadcasting arrangements and why he ‘totally stopped swimming’
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
Andrew McNicol
Andrew McNicol
Why you can trust SCMP
Hong Kong Olympian-turned-entertainer Alex Fong Lik-sun tipped swimming sensation Siobhan Haughey to star at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – but urges fans and media not to overdo the hype.
Haughey, 23, has qualified for three individual events after breaking several national records in last month’s Olympic time trials. The University of Michigan student has been in fine form coming off her second International Swimming League season and also played a crucial role securing the women’s team’s ticket to Tokyo after a record-breaking medley relay qualifier last week.
“We’ve never had such a good opportunity to get results because Siobhan is our medal hope. Don’t give her pressure, but I think she can do it,” the 41-year-old former multiple national record-holder said after an event announcing he would lead 59 school alumni in a group-relay attempt around Hong Kong later this year.

“It’s been nerve-racking and everyone is anticipating getting to Tokyo because the event has been delayed a year. Then there’s [Stephanie] Au Hoi-shun who is representing Hong Kong at the Olympics for a fourth time. Her A class qualifying time was impressive.

Siobhan Haughey finishes her butterfly leg in the women’s 4x100m Long Course Medley at Victoria Park Swimming Pool in May. Photo: SCMP / Jonathan Wong

“The women’s relay team qualified – so our overall level has improved a lot. Swimming is a really popular event, but I hope we get good results and earn more attention from the government and sports associations.”

Water-based athletes aside, Fong will be paying attention to Coco Lin Yik-hei, part of the women’s épée fencing team who qualified for Tokyo in March.
 

“I’ve watched her grow up and now she’s representing Hong Kong at the Olympics. I’m very happy to see that so many people have learned to train and love sports from such a young age,” Fong said.

Though Sydney 2000 Olympian Fong’s competitive days are over, his expertise has often been called upon for previous local Olympic broadcast features and colour commentary. He could not confirm exact plans given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, but hinted that he would be flying to Tokyo if possible.

Coco Lin Yik-hei is an Olympian-to-be after qualifying for Tokyo 2020 with her women’s épée fencing team in 2021. Photo: Handout

“I guess I’ll be broadcasting in some way but I don’t yet know about the arrangements,” he said.

Following his record-breaking charity swim around Hong Kong Island in 2019, likely aided by the promising resurgence of Hong Kong’s swim scene, Fong has become reacquainted with the sport he once obsessed over but put on hold for a singing and acting career.
Former Hong Kong national swimming team captain and record-holder Anthony Tang Ho-kwong with fellow St. Joseph's alumni and Olympian Alex Fong Lik-sun at the Green and White Swimathon 2021 kick-off ceremony in May of 2021. Photo: St. Joseph's College Green and White Swimathon Organising Committee

“Before 2019 I hadn’t swum in around 15 years. I totally stopped. I had no mission and no need to swim. I had other sports to improve on, so why did I need to swim?” he asked philosophically.

“I would never be as fast as I once was as a competitor. My thinking was that I only swam to improve, and if I wasn’t improving, what was I doing?

“So I started to gym, and saw myself go from no abs, to four, to a six pack. Running, from not being able to run a half-marathon, to finishing the full, and now working to get my time down. But after swimming around the Island, I thought ‘why not? You’re 40 and keeping up to a decent swimming level, why not keep it going?’”

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: ‘don’t give Haughey any pressure’
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