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Lars Hamer

Hong Kong’s Stephanie Au Hoi-shun is confident of qualifying for the Paris Olympics, but said whatever happened this would be her last Games.
The veteran swimmer, who has held a host of city records and made her Olympics debut at the Beijing Games in 2008, told the Post “I’m done”.
On Sunday, Au competed in the 100-metre backstroke at the Hong Kong Sports Institute’s (HKSI) Long Course Swimming Invitational Trial, a race she won in 1:00.88 seconds.
The 31-year-old’s personal best in the event is 1:00.22, the Hong Kong record, which is 0.23 seconds off the Olympics qualifying time.
Au also won her 50m backstroke heat in 28.48 seconds but pulled out of Saturday’s final.

“I’ve been swimming for a long time, given that I’ll be 32 this year and my first Olympics was when I was 16, this will be the last big one, so that’s me saying I’m done,” Au said.
“I am pretty satisfied with these two these two swims [and] scratched out yesterday’s final just to save a little bit more for the 100, because it’s a completely different game when you pass 30. You’ve got to play smart if you want to hit your goal.”
Au said she was training in Australia “on and off” throughout the coronavirus pandemic and moved to Brisbane permanently about six months ago.
During her time on the Gold Coast, she has been working with Chris Mooney, who guided Australia’s triple world-record holder Kaylee McKeown to three gold medals in backstroke at the Tokyo Olympics.
Au she had previously broken the crucial 59 seconds barrier but it was outside competitions and during the pandemic.
“I’ve been training away from home because for me there are a lot of distractions [in Hong Kong],” she said. “I just really want to focus and try to put everything I can into swimming and try to hit my 100m backstroke gold time and make the Olympics on my own.
“I am confident I can make it happen, that’s why I shipped myself off to Australia, to make it happen.”

The four-time Olympian believes recent performances show her moving in the right direction and she will return to Brisbane for training ahead of taking on some of the world’s best at the Australian Swimming Trials next month.
There is also Hong Kong’s final Olympic time trial event in June, and if Au misses her backstroke goal she could still be part of the city’s squad for the 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay.
One swimmer who has already made it to the Paris Olympics is double silver medallist Siobhan Haughey.
On Saturday, she broke Au’s 800m freestyle record in the pool at HKSI, and said it had been great to catch up with her relay teammates, including Au, who she won bronze with at the Asian Games last year.
“I obviously want more people to qualify for Paris because last time in Tokyo we had a pretty big team and it was really fun having so many people there,” Haughey said, adding that having a large team at big international events could help athletes feel at home.
“You want to see your people in the stands, it makes you less nervous. I’m cheering for all of them and hopefully, we have more people going to Paris,” she said.


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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris Olympics: Hong Kong swimmer Stephanie Au says Summer Games will be her last, ‘I’m done’

Hong Kong’s Stephanie Au says the Paris Olympics will be her last big Games as a competitor. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong’s Stephanie Au celebrates setting a city record 8:41.66 in her women’s 800m freestyle heat at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Photo: Robert Ng

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, Natalie Kan, Stephanie Au and Tam Hoi-lam Tam after winning bronze in the women’s 4x100m medley relay final, at the Asian Games. Photo: EPA-EFE

Paris Olympics countdown: Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey switches race to keep Mother’s Day free and smashes record

Siobhan Haughey said she wanted to avoid swimming on Sunday at the Hong Kong trial. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Siobhan Haughey on her way to the 800m freestyle record at Hong Kong Sports Institute. Photo: Jonathan Wong

(From left) Tam Hoi-lam, Siobhan Haughey, Stephanie Au and Camille Cheng all swam at the trial. Photo: HKSA

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Siobhan Haughey has been racing a butterfly swimmer in training at Hong Kong Sports Institute. Photo: AP

Siobhan Haughey is a contender for Paris success after her World Championship gold in February. Photo: AP

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The IOC’s refugee team represents the more than 100 million displaced people around the world. Photo: dpa

Lo Wai-fung (centre) has claimed Hong Kong’s 31st berth at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Handout

Ali Reza Abbasi beat the Hongkonger but has missed out on a place in France. Photo: Instagram/@alireza._.abba30

Sport

Hong Kong

Other Sport

Four-time Olympian will be 32 by the time the world’s biggest sporting event gets under way in France in July
Au is confident of qualifying for her favoured backstroke event and could also be part of the city’s relay team


Four-time Olympian Stephanie Au will be 32 by the time the world’s biggest sporting event gets under way in France in July, and is confident of qualifying for her ‘last big one’.


Swimming

Stephanie Au Hoi-shun