Hong Kong's star swimmer Siobhan Haughey on Tuesday won a gold medal in the women's 100-metre freestyle, smashing the Asian record in the process.

She finished the event in 52.17 seconds, beating China's Yang Junxuan by almost a full second. Another Chinese swimmer, Cheng Yujie, finished third.

It's Haughey's second gold medal in Hangzhou, where she has also won two bronzes.

The swimmer said she is satisified she managed to achieve her best time in the final, something Haughey said she has not done in two years.

"I didn't think too much [about setting a new Asian record]. I know I'm capable of swimming my best time, and I managed to do it in the end so I was happy," she told HOY TV.

Haughey said she hopes she can recover well for the 50 metres freestyle event on Thursday.

Her SAR teammate, Karen Tam, finished eighth in the final. Tam said she is happy to have made the final in an individual event for the first time.