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Siobhan Haughey's Olympic Journey Secrets

Siobhan Haughey, a star swimmer from Hong Kong, attributes her Olympic success to a rigorous routine of early morning training, academic commitments, and goal-setting. She won two silver medals at the Tokyo Olympics, overcoming challenges and setbacks through dedication and time management. Haughey hopes to inspire others by sharing her journey and emphasizes the importance of perseverance in achieving dreams.

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30 views6 pages

Siobhan Haughey's Olympic Journey Secrets

Siobhan Haughey, a star swimmer from Hong Kong, attributes her Olympic success to a rigorous routine of early morning training, academic commitments, and goal-setting. She won two silver medals at the Tokyo Olympics, overcoming challenges and setbacks through dedication and time management. Haughey hopes to inspire others by sharing her journey and emphasizes the importance of perseverance in achieving dreams.

Uploaded by

carrieyllam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Hong Kong's star swimmer Siobhan Haughey shares her secrets

to her Olympic success

[1] By the time young Siobhan Haughey would arrive at school at


8am, she had already been studying and swimming for four
hours. After spending eight more hours at school, she still faced
even more training and studying. During the Hong Kong star
swimmer's senior secondary school years, that was her
exhausting routine - and it was what eventually made her an
Olympic medallist at the Tokyo Games last month.

[2] "Now that I look back on it, it's kind of crazy and very tiring.
But it's all worth it in the end," Haughey said. "I definitely have
those days when I'm too tired to go to school or I just don't feel
like training. But then I go back to my long-term goal and think
about why I am doing this."

[3] In a webinar this week with readers of Young Post and


participants of South China Morning Post's Student of the Year
(SOTY) Awards, the 23-year-old Olympian recounted the sacrifices she made over the years,
and discussed how she set long-term and short-term goals to get back on her feet after
discouraging setbacks.

[4] Haughey won two silvers at the Tokyo Games’ 100m and 200m freestyle, becoming one of
two Hong Kong Olympians who have ever won two Olympic medals. However, her journey to
become one of the world's best swimmers has not been an easy feat. She took her first
swimming class at the South China Athletic Association at the age of four, and cried every time
she went to practice. But over time, she fell in love with the sport, and even when her
academics became more demanding in secondary school, her dedication was reflected in her
daily schedule.

[5] "When I was in secondary school, we had morning swimming training at 5.15am, so on an
average day I'd wake up at 4.45am, walk to the pool and train until 7am. Then, I'd quickly rush
home, shower, eat breakfast and go to school from around 8am to 4pm," Haughey said. She
explained how her school had long lunch breaks, so after finishing lunch and taking a short rest,
she would try to finish as much homework as possible before afternoon classes began. "I eat
and train again from 6pm to 8pm, then come home to do homework and study," she continued.
"Sometimes, I didn't have enough time to study at night, so I'd wake up at 3am the next morning
to finish my work. It's definitely hard and tiring, but that's why it's good to have good time
management skills."

[6] Even during the most stressful times, such as when she was preparing for the Diploma of
Secondary Education (DSE) Examination - the university entrance exam - Haughey made sure
to balance her hard work with breaks. Her late nights and early mornings paid off on her DSE
exam: she ended up scoring 5** in liberal studies; 5*in English; 5 in accounting and Maths; 4 in
Chinese, Chemistry and English literature. (5** is the top score.)

[7] In 2013, she won the SOTY Sportsperson


award. SOTY is sponsored by the Hong Kong
Jockey Club. The star student went to the University
of Michigan to continue her studies and training,
though it took some time before she became an
Olympic medallist. After the 2016 Rio de Janeiro
Olympics, where she did not win any medals, she
set a long-term goal to make it to the swimming
finals in the Tokyo Games.

[8] Before every practice, she set smaller goals for


what she wanted to achieve, such as working on her turns, or aiming for four to five kicks after
pushing off the wall, she said. Before the 2019 world swimming championship, she had set a
long-term goal of medalling in the 200m freestyle. But she missed out, finishing just 0.2 second
slower than the bronze medallist. "That was devastating because I was so close to my goal ... I
was sad for maybe two minutes, and I told myself maybe it was a good way to motivate myself
to do better next time so I wouldn't miss out in the Olympics," she explained.

[9] Setting these short-term and long-term goals was the key to reaching her targets - along with
surrounding herself with positive and supportive people, and relaxing by baking biscuits and
eating sweets. Two years later, she earned her spot at the Tokyo Olympics medal podium.

[10] "Hopefully, I'm an inspiration to a lot of people. If I was five, 10, 15 years old, just seeing this
Olympic medal would be a really cool thing," she said, hoping her successful Olympic bid would
inspire the city's next "The road to achieving your goals or dreams won't be easy. But you
have to keep moving forward because sometimes you think you're in the dark, but if you keep
moving forward, you'll eventually see the light."
Questions (25 marks)

1. What does the phrase 'on her feet' mean in paragraph 3?

2. According to paragraphs 3 and 4 of the article, decide whether the following statements are
True, False or Not Given. (3 marks)

T F NG

i) Haughey attended a webinar with readers of Young Post and


South China Morning Post.

(ii) Haughey and another Hong Kong Olympian won two Olympic
medals at the Tokyo Games.

(iii) Haughey was keen on swimming when she first started the sport.

3. Find a word or expression in paragraphs 4-8 which has the same meaning as each of the
phrases below. (5 marks)

(i) something difficult needing a lot of skill, strength, courage, etc. to achieve it __________

(ii) the willingness to give a lot of time and energy to something because it is important

____________

(iii) yielded good results; succeeded ____________

(iv) provided with funding by a particular organisation or body _______________

(v) making someone very shocked and upset __________________


4. Using the information given in paragraph 8, name one short-term goal and one long-term goal
Haughey set. (2 marks)

Short term:

Long term:

5. Put the events into chronological order by writing the letters in the blanks below, from first to
last.

A. Haughey attended a webinar to recount her sacrifices and talk about her goals.

B. Haughey received the SOTY Sportsperson award and went to the University of Michigan.

C. Haughey earned her spot at the Olympics medal podium.

D. Haughey finished fourth at the world swimming championship.

E. Haughey participated at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

_____ > _____ > ______ > ______ > ______

6. According to paragraphs 8 and 9, what did Haughey do to reach her targets?

(i) had confectionery


(ii) met encouraging people
(iii) read biographies of famous athlete
(iv) set short-term and long-term goals

A.​ (i) and (ii)


B.​ (i) and (ii)
C.​ (i), (ii) and (iv)
D.​ (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)

Answer: ________
7. Do you think Haughey is a diligent person? Support your answer with evidence from the
article. (2 marks)

8. Reread paragraphs 4, 5, and 6 of the article.

How does the writer use specific details about Siobhan Haughey's daily routine and academic
achievements to portray her character and the extent of her dedication? (10 marks)

Common questions

Powered by AI

Siobhan Haughey's intensive training schedule, prioritizing sports over a typical teenage lifestyle, exemplifies the sacrifice-achievement relationship. Her story highlights how sacrifices, like early mornings and restricted leisure, are often prerequisites to reaching high levels of success, such as winning Olympic medals .

Goal setting was a crucial part of Siobhan Haughey's preparation for the Olympics. She balanced long-term aspirations, such as medalling at international championships, with short-term objectives like improving specific aspects of her swimming technique, such as turns or kicks. This systematic approach helped her maintain focus and motivation, ultimately leading to her achieving her long-term goal of becoming an Olympic medallist .

Siobhan Haughey's daily routine during her secondary school years was rigorous, combining early morning swimming sessions at 5:15am with full school days and evening training. She maintained a tight schedule which taught her valuable time management skills. Despite the challenges, her routine enabled her to excel both academically and athletically, as evidenced by her high scores in subjects like liberal studies and her eventual success in earning two silver medals in the Tokyo Olympics .

Haughey balanced academics with swimming through rigorous time management, waking up early for training and studying late into the night. Even during peak academic stress, like before her DSE exams, she ensured to incorporate breaks to maintain her effectiveness. Her ability to excel in both spheres demonstrates her dedication, discipline, and perseverance .

Haughey's use of short-term and long-term goals highlights adaptability as she adjusted her practices based on performance outcomes and evolving objectives. Her flexible approach allowed her to refine techniques and address weaknesses, directly contributing to achieving her long-term goal of medalling at the Tokyo Olympics .

Siobhan Haughey hopes her success encourages young athletes by demonstrating that reaching one's dreams involves perseverance through challenges. Her message underscores the necessity of pushing through difficult times, suggesting that progress may seem elusive until one advances past obstacles .

Siobhan Haughey maintained her motivation and mental health by setting incremental goals and surrounding herself with supportive people. She also incorporated relaxation activities, such as baking and enjoying sweets, to manage stress. These strategies helped maintain her focus and emotional well-being amidst a demanding schedule .

Siobhan Haughey's setbacks, such as narrowly missing a medal at the 2019 world swimming championship, served as motivation to improve. Instead of lingering on disappointment, she viewed these experiences as opportunities to enhance her performance and resilience. Her ability to learn from and overcome setbacks was a significant factor in her success at the Tokyo Olympics .

Aspiring athletes can learn the importance of resilience and strategic goal-setting from Haughey's experiences. Her ability to dissect failures for growth opportunities and to set clear, achievable goals exemplify how athletes can channel setbacks into future successes, balancing ambition with a constructive approach to failure .

External support from coaches and family, coupled with her intrinsic motivation to achieve set goals, played pivotal roles in Haughey’s success. Her environment fostered encouragement, while her internal drive ensured she remained committed to her training schedule and goal-setting practices, balancing external influences with personal determination .

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