Silver medalist Hong Kong's Siobhan Bernadette Haughey poses with her medal on the podium after the final of the women's 200m freestyle swimming event during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on July 28, 2021. (ODD ANDERSEN / AFP)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's swimming star Siobhan Haughey won the second medal of the Tokyo Olympics for the SAR on Wednesday morning, racing to silver in the women's 200m freestyle final.

Haughey led for most of the race but lost at the finish to Australian 400m free gold medalist Ariarne Titmus, who set a new Olympic record at 1:53.50 in the 200m freestyle event. Haughey clocked a time of 1:53.92, her personal best and an Asian record.

My achievement, coupled with Cheung Ka-long in fencing, can inspire other Hong Kong athletes who are here in Tokyo, and "add oil" to them. 

Siobhan Haughey, HK swimmer

"I'm really happy and really excited. I worked hard for this for the last five years. The medal means so much," Haughey said about her silver.

She expressed the hope that her achievement in Tokyo would inspire the next generation of Olympians back home.

“My achievement, coupled with Cheung Ka-long in fencing, can inspire other Hong Kong athletes who are here in Tokyo, and 'add oil' to them," she said after her race, a phrase meaning to keep drawing strength.

"Those swimmers back home - continue to train hard and you will be the next."

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This is the first time Hong Kong wins a swimming medal at the Olympics. Haughey, 23, is the first Hong Kong swimmer ever to reach an Olympic swimming final. 

Cheung secured a gold in fencing for Hong Kong on Monday. It was Hong Kong's first gold medal in the Tokyo Games and also the city's first gold in 25 years.

Australia's Ariarne Titmus (left) touches the wall to win the women's 200-meter freestyle final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 28, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. On the right is Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey, who won silver in the event. (MORRY GASH/AP)

Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey reacts after coming in second in the final of the women's 200m freestyle swimming event during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on July 28, 2021. (ODD ANDERSEN / AFP)

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor sent a congratulatory message to Haughey.

"This is the very first time that Hong Kong has won a medal in a swimming event in the Olympic Games. Haughey has fully demonstrated great skill and perseverance to stay ahead of competitors, achieving an excellent result for Hong Kong," Lam said in a statement.

She (Siobhan Haughey) has brought glory to the city and has made me and Hong Kong people proud.

Carrie Lam, HK chief executive

"She has brought glory to the city and has made me and Hong Kong people proud."

Lam said that the Hong Kong, China delegation achieved historic breakthroughs in fencing and swimming at this year's Games, winning a gold medal and a silver medal as far.

ALSO READ: First Olympic gold after SAR's establishment cheers up HK

"I believe that with the support of all Hong Kong people, the athletes will continue to perform at their best to strive for good results," Lam said.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (front row, fifth right) watches the Women's 200m Freestyle competition of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games through live TV broadcast with other government officials to cheer for Hong Kong swimmer Siobhan Bernadette Haughey, July 28, 2021. (PHOTO/HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui also congratulated Haughey on winning silver. 

"Despite the delay of the Tokyo Olympic Games for one year which has affected the arrangements of competitions and training, Siobhan still managed to overcome all difficulties and achieved victory in the game of the highest standard," Tsui said in a separate statement.

"We are very delighted and proud of her."

READ MORE: HK celebrates Cheung's gold medal victory at Tokyo Olympics

Gold medalist Ariarne Titmus, center, of Australia, poses for photos with silver medalist Siobhan Bernadette Haughey, right, of Hong Kong, China, and bronze medalist Penny Oleksiak, of Canada, after the women's 200-meter freestyle final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 28, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (MATTHIAS SCHRADER/AP)

In Hong Kong, residents cheered and rejoiced after Haughey's stellar swim.

Shopping malls opened early to live stream the event, which took place at 9.41 am local time, while some restaurants opened for breakfast to let diners watch before going to work.

Fung, a 70-year-old woman eating dim sum in a shopping mall in the city's Kwun Tong district, said she was thrilled with Haughey's silver medal.

"I feel very happy. I want to say continue to work hard, keep up the good work but we are already very satisfied."

Hong Kong residents at the APM shopping mall in Kwun Tong react as Siobhan Bernadette Haughey of Hong Kong wins the silver medal for the women's 200-meter freestyle final, in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 28, 2021. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Amateur swimmers celebrated her performance during morning training, brandishing posters of her name while others hit the city's bar district to watch and cheer with the Hong Kong SAR flags.

Haughey's mother is from Hong Kong and her father is Irish. Her great uncle Charles Haughey was a former Irish prime minister.

Born in grew up in Hong Kong, Haughey has shown massive improvement since her Olympic debut in Rio where she made the semis of the event and swam a time of 1:57.56.

And beating the likes of American Katie Ledecky and Italian Federica Pellegrini should give her confidence for the 50m and 100m freestyle events. She races in the 100m freestyle heats later on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Hong Kong's medal hope Haughey reaches 200m freestyle final

"I would like to thank my coaches in Hong Kong and the United States, and also my dad and mum, without them I would not be having such an achievement," she said.

She first won the silver medal in the women's 200m individual medley event in the Summer Youth Olympic Games 2014. In the same year, her teams won bronze medals in the women's 4x100m medley relay and the women's 4x200m freestyle relay in the Asian Games.

With inputs from Agencies