2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, December 16th – Tuesday, December 21st
- Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- SCM (25m)
- Prize Money
- Meet Site
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results
Hong Kong swimmer Siobhan Haughey took down Sarah Sjostrom‘s 2017 world record in the short course 200 freestyle, posting a 1:50.31 to win the 2021 World Championships title. Haughey’s swim was fast enough to shave 0.12 seconds off Sjostrom’s former mark of 1:50.43 from the Eindhoven World Cup 4 years ago.
Any time a world record falls, it’s a historic moment, but this swim is notable also for the fact that it marks the first-ever world record in swimming by a Hong Kong swimmer. Additionally, Haughey has now become the first-ever swimmer from her nation to win a Short Course World Championships title.
In addition to being a new world record, this swim for Haughey is a new national Hong Kong record and Asian record (improving upon her own marks of 1:50.65), and a new Championship record. Sjostrom also held the Short Course Worlds meet record before this at a 1:50.78 from 2014.
Haughey has been close to cracking this mark twice in recent weeks, having swum that 1:50.65 and a 1:50.66 in November 2021 while racing for Energy Standard in the International Swimming League.
Splits Comparison
| Haughey – 2021 | Sjostrom 2021 | |
| 50 | 26.20 | 25.99 |
| 100 | 53.81 (27.61) | 54.45 (28.46) |
| 150 | 1:22.03 (28.22) | 1:22.61 (28.16) |
| 200 | 1:50.31 (28.28) | 1:50.43 (27.82) |
In addition to the world title and brand new world record, Haughey will walk away from this 200 freestyle final with a $50,000 USD ($63,867 CAD) cheque. The 200 freestyle was just the second finals heat of the meet, making Haughey the first one to take advantage of that $50k world record bonus.
Haughey is ending strong in 2021 following a successful year in her career. She notably had a dominant performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where she won silver medals in both the 100 and 200 freestyle. She set new national and Asian records in both of those events with a 52.27 in the 100 and a 1:53.92 in the 200.
Rebecca Smith of Canada came in with a 1:52.24 to take silver in the event in Abu Dhabi, while the USA’s Paige Madden took bronze with a 1:53.01.
Haughey’s last 100 in today’s race was almost 3(!) seconds faster than last 100 in her Olympic 1:53 race. That’s what 2 extra push from the wall with underwater kick do. Completely different sport.
Is it a faster swim than Franklin’s record in 200 SCY. I know that it isn’t easy to compare since her distance was slightly but shorter. Franklin should have extra 19 yards to swim of pure stroke and it would most likely kill her, but still it looks that her result was faster.
using the NCAA conversions, it converts to a 1:39.9, using swimswam’s converter, it converts to a 1:39.3. Using older NCAA conversions (2019’s if this table is right), it converts to a 1:38.8
take from that what you will, it looks like they’re about the same though
Impressive since the ISL has fast people going after a good times way more often in my opinion.
It’s interesting that Sjostrom was faster on 3 out of the 4 splits. Haughey’s second 50 really made the difference.
that is very interesting
I think my coaches used to say hit the gas on the 3rd 50, but apparently it is the 2nd 50 if you’re going for the WR.
😀 Your coach gave you a funny advice. He/she may meant a gas attack against your competitors and for that you have to do that as soon as possible in the race. Or he/she had thoughts about extra acceleration given by jet propulsion 😀
Where does all that cash come from? OPEC?
Awesome swim.