Siobhan Haughey earns second Mare Nostrum Swim Tour gold in Monaco, comeback gathers pace
The Hongkonger takes victory in 100 metres freestyle, with two more legs of the tour to come this week
Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey rounded off the first leg of the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour in Monaco on Sunday with her second gold medal in as many days, winning the 100 metres freestyle.
Haughey finished in 53.58 seconds, just ahead of Milou van Wijk, the world relay gold medallist from the Netherlands, who clocked in at 53.76. Italy’s Sara Curtis rounded off the podium with a time of 54.69.
Four-time Olympic medallist Haughey was more than 1.5 seconds slower than her best time of last year, 52.33, which she swam at the Paris Olympics to win bronze in July. However, she had not competed internationally since last December, with Monaco representing her first significant meet since returning from a four-month break.
The three-leg Mare Nostrum resumes in Barcelona on Wednesday before finishing in Canet-en-Roussillon at the weekend. The 27-year-old Haughey is expected to compete in the 100m freestyle on Wednesday and the 200m event the next day.
At the Chinese National Swimming Championships in Shenzhen, 12-year-old Yu Zidi came second in the women’s 200m individual medley.
She swam a personal best of two minutes, 10.63 seconds, and her top-two finish means she is eligible to go to the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in July and August.