Hundreds of people on Sunday flocked to a shopping mall in Tai Koo to meet swimming queen Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong’s first Olympic medallist in swimming. A sharing session started shortly after noon, allowing fans of all ages to hear the swimmer share her experiences from the Paris Olympics last month, where she won two bronze medals. Reshma and her daughter, Rhenia, got to the mall early in the morning in hopes of seeing Haughey. "We are here because [my daughter] is a swimmer and she aspires to be like Siobhan, and that's her idol. We love her and she's amazing," Reshma told RTHK. "I think she inspires me a lot every day. I'm 12 and I've been swimming for the past two years. I want her autographs and I want her to sign my jacket and I want a photo with her," Rhenia added. Nine-year-old Ariel said she arrived at the mall at about 7am, and was excited to meet the home-grown swimming star in person. "I swim a lot, like every day. Because she swims too and represents Hong Kong, I feel excited and happy about her. I have two cards [for her] to sign," she said. Speaking to reporters ahead of the meet-and-greet event, Haughey expressed gratitude to all her supporters. She expressed the hope that the achievements of local athletes in the past few Olympic Games have inspired more children to pursue a career in sports. "I hope through my story or my experience, people can find inspiration in that...We can see how sports bring people together. Through sports, even if you don't get to a competitive elite level, just playing sports, you learn so many different skills that are very helpful in the future," she said. "Hopefully, with how Hong Kong athletes have been doing in the past few Olympics, we can encourage more kids to get into sports at a young age." However, the Olympian said she is not completely sure whether she will compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, adding that she is focused on the upcoming short-course season.
