appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Andrew McNicol

Hong Kong swimmer Ian Ho Yentou’s lead-up to this year’s world championships and Asian Games is going exceptionally well after beating seven-time Olympic gold medallist Caeleb Dressel to a podium spot at the TYR Pro Swim Series on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old Virginia Tech student-athlete, who secured four personal bests (PB) at the FINA world championships in UAE last December, clocked 22.22 seconds to finish second in the men’s 50 free finals in Westmont, California.
Ho was only beaten by former world junior record-snatcher Michael Andrew (21.73), while multiple world record-holder Dressel was pipped to third place by Ryan Held (22.29).
The key, Ho said, was training for and competing at last year’s Tokyo Olympics with two-time silver medal-winning teammate Siobhan Haughey.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by SIOBHÁN HAUGHEY (何詩蓓) (@siobhanhaughey01)



“That’s some of the best training I’ve ever done in my entire life. Swimming next to a world champion and world record-holder,” said Ho, whose fledgling career is being aided by a Panasonic Sports Scholarship.
“Training with Siobhan for a year and half and seeing what she does in practice, it’s inspiring to see someone like that get up and crush a hard set after hard set. To be next to her – you just have to go.”












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Ian Ho (@amph1b_ian)



Ho said he had not viewed race experience as “being that crucial” until his Olympics and world championships berth.
“Having a couple of times where you’re competing at the highest levels gets you in the mindset that allows you to perform despite the surroundings,” he said.
“Being in that pressure and build-up has definitely helped me understand what I need to do to swim fast.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Ian Ho (@amph1b_ian)



“I think I got the hang of it, especially at the world champs having to swim as much as I did, and I will carry that experience over moving forward.”
Ho was the city’s only male swimming entrant in Tokyo after achieving an unprecedented Olympic A qualifying standard at the preceding Hong Kong Long Course Time Trial, re-smashing the local 50m free record alongside Haughey.
“I don’t think I’ve ever trained for something as long as I did for the Olympics,” he said.

“Going and staying in Hong Kong, postponing school, not knowing if I was going to [qualify] or not, training and gymming as hard as I could, putting everything towards a goal and then finally reaching it.
“It’s super hard to explain – it’s still a bit surreal for me. But it’s also crazy how fast time flies and we’re already talking about the next one.”
Training has been “pretty steady” ever since Ho sealed PBs in the 50m free (21.22), men 4x50m free relay (1:29.04), men 4x100m free relay (3:15.44), and men 4x50m medley relay (1:36.36) in December.

He balances swimming eight times and week and gymming three times with his additive manufacturing master’s degree lab classes and essay deadlines, with the ultimate goals this year the Budapest world championships in June and Hangzhou in September.
“I like to think of myself as more laid-back, but when the time comes and I need to put in the work, I’m not scared to get up and go,” said the former Virginia Tech record-holder and NCAA competitor.
“I’m focusing a lot of my strength with Hong Kong Sports Institute weight trainer Hardaway [Chan], who has been helping me get more powerful in the gym. It’s good to see my numbers in the weight are going up.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Ian Ho (@amph1b_ian)



“Based on my results, I think I’m in a good spot right now leading up to the Asian Games – six months away. I don’t usually set limits or expectations for how I’m going to do at the meet, but I’m hoping to at least make top eight.”
While qualifying for the Olympics had a “black and white” goal of under 22.01 – “now it’s not as clear what a ‘good’ time is” – Ho is working to shave his 50m free averages down and clock more consistent sub-22 seconds races.
Remarkably, he has also taken up the butterfly and is already within touching distance of the Hong Kong record.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Ian Ho (@amph1b_ian)



“I’m a couple of tenths off, which surprised me as I’m not typically good at the butterfly,” he said.
“But we’re doing it a bit. So for the world champs, I’m looking at the 50 fly. If my time is good enough, I would consider swimming it at the Asian Games, too.”


Philippine tennis sensation Alexandra Eala looking forward to having ‘fun’ at Asian Games

Asian Games organisers looking to reduce numbers as registrations exceed target

China’s Hou Yifan a world chess champion who changes the rules and pushes the boundaries

Official accused of abusing Chinese athlete Wang Li sacked, claims found ‘basically true’

Asian Games 2023

Hong Kong’s Ian Ho says training with Siobhan Haughey has helped for world championships and Asian Games preparation

Hong Kong swimmer Ian Ho Yentou after his men’s 50m freestyle qualifier event at the Tokyo Olympic Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Japan. Photo: Instagram / Ian Ho   

Hong Kong swimmer Ian Ho Yentou at the Hong Kong Long Course Time Trial Tokyo Olympic Games standard qualifying event at the Victoria Park Swimming Pool. Photo: Hong Kong China Swimming Association 

Hong Kong men’s 50m freestyle record-holder Ian Ho Yentou after he breaks his own record at the Tokyo Olympic Games time trials at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Photo: Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association 

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey named best female swimmer at World Championships, and tops prize money list

Siobhan Haughey stands on the podium after winning 100m freestyle final at the short course World Championships in Abu Dhabi on December 18, 2021. Photo: AP/Kamran Jebreili)

Silver medallist Sarah Sjostrom, Siobhan Haughey and bronze medallist Abbey Weitzeil stand on the podium during the medal ceremony for the 100m freestyle final at 2021 short course World Championships in Abu Dhabi. Photo: EPA 

Siobhan Haughey poses with the medal after winning the 200m freestyle and breaking the world record. Photo: Xinhua

Siobhan Haughey celebrates after breaking the 200m freestyle world record. Photo: EPA

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey and Ian Ho break own national 50m freestyle records at Olympic time trial

Siobhan Haughey and fellow Hong Kong competitors at the Olympic time trials at the Hong Kong Sports Institute, Fo Tan. Photos: Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association

Hong Kong men's 50m freestyle record holder Ian Ho Yentou breaks his own record at the Olympic time trials at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Photo: Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association

Hong Kong men's 50m freestyle time trial competitors at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Photo: Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association

Hong Kong women's 50m freestyle record holder Siobhan Haughet with referee Edward Cheng Ho-ming after breaking her own record at the time trials in the Hong Kong Sports Institute in May. Photo: Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association

Ian Ho becomes first Hong Kong men’s swimmer to achieve Olympic A qualifying standard

A smiling Ian Ho after becoming the first Hong Kong men’s swimmer to qualify for the Olympic Games with an A standard. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Ian Ho breaks the Hong Kong record in the 50 metres freestyle in April in a time of 22.25 seconds. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The women’s 200-metre freestyle at the Sports Institute. Photo: HKASA

Ho Nam-wai wins the women’s 200-metre freestyle with an Olympic B standard to complete the relay squad to Tokyo. Photo: HKASA

Hong Kong swimming star Siobhan Haughey ‘will miss teammates’ but not disappointed by loss of ISL season

Siobhan Haughey in the 2021 season of the ISL International Swimming League. Photo: Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Leah Smith of the Tokyo Frog Kings celebrates winning the 400m freestyle semi-finals on day one of the 2020 ISL season as second placed Siobhan Haughey looks on. Photo: ISL

Tokyo 2020: ‘New Michael Phelps’ Caeleb Dressel leads rising swimming stars out for gold

Caeleb Dressel of the USA celebrates after winning the men’s 100m butterfly gold at the 2019 world championships. Photo: EPA

Sport

Hong Kong

Other Sport

The 24-year-old has been in top form this season, eyeing a potential butterfly debut in Budapest and top eight finish in Hangzhou
‘It’s inspiring to see someone like that get up and crush a hard set after hard set’ says Ho of record-breaking teammate Haughey


Hong Kong men’s freestyle record-holder Ian Ho Yentou has been in top form this season, eyeing a potential butterfly debut at the Budapest world championships and top eight finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games.


Hong Kong Sports Institute

Swimming

Ian Ho Yentou

Caeleb Dressel