A RELATIVE of a former Taoiseach has made history after winning her nation's first ever Olympic swimming medal.
Siobhan Bernadette Haughey, 23, is Charles Haughey's grand-niece, who served as Taoiseach on three separate occasions.
Despite having an Irish father, Siobhan decided to represent the country of her and her mother's birth - Hong Kong.
She secured an historic Silver medal in the women's 200m freestyle in Tokyo on Wednesday, being pipped to the post by Australian Ariarne Titmus who took the Gold.
It's just the fifth medal Hong Kong has ever won in Olympic history, and while the Asian nation celebrates the arrival of a potential superstar-swimmer, current Taoiseach Micheál Martin has cheekily suggested that Ireland deserves some of the credit.
"I don’t think Hong Kong will mind us claiming a part of Siobhán Haughey’s stunning performance and silver medal in Tokyo," Martin tweeted on Wednesday.
"I spoke earlier to Seán [Siobhan's grandfather] to offer congratulations. He and the wider family circle are justifiably over the moon and very very proud."
I don’t think Hong Kong 🇭🇰 will mind us claiming a part of Siobhán Haughey’s stunning performance and silver medal in #Tokyo2020
I spoke earlier to Seán to offer congratulations. He and the wider family circle are justifiably over the moon and very very proud. #Olympics pic.twitter.com/L7lKJu41tW— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 28, 2021
Haughey has the chance to add to her medal haul this week with the women's 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle events still to come.
Growing up, Ms Haughey attended a Catholic school in an area of Hong Kong called Happy Valley.
She won a gold medal in the 100m freestyle at the World Junior Championships in 2013, before attending university in Michigan in 2016, where she inspired her team to a national women's title, the first time her college had done so since 2004.
