World Aquatics Championships: teen Chloe Cheng eyes PB after jet lag and nerves on day 1

Learning curve for Cheng as she misses out on semi-final spot, as do Hong Kong teammates on opening day

But having arrived only 3 days before her first race, Cheng will use the experience to target her stronger event

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Chloe Cheng is competing at her first long-course world championships. Photo: Shirley Chui

Published: 9:30am, 19 Jun 2022

Teenager Chloe Cheng was Hong Kong’s best performer on the opening day of the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on Saturday, while veteran Stephanie Au Hoi-shun was aiming to make a splash when she enters the fray on Sunday.

Cheng, who has earned comparisons to Siobhan Haughey after breaking the double Olympic medallist’s Hong Kong individual medley record at 400 metres, began her campaign in Budapest over her less favoured distance of 200m.

Finding herself in the same heat as Olympic champion Yui Ohashi of Japan and world record-holder Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, she finished eighth, clocking two minutes 16.32 seconds – a second outside her personal best.

With semi-final places determined by time, that placing did not rule her out, but the results of the other heats left her 24th overall.

Chloe Cheng admitted to nerves after her first race in Budapest on Saturday. Photo: Instagram

It was a learning experience for the 17-year-old, who will be better placed to shine in her preferred 400m next Saturday after overcoming nerves and jet lag.

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