Armagh swimmer Daniel Wiffen has won an incredible Olympic gold medal in the final of the men’s 800m freestyle at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, in a new Olympic Record time of 7:38.19.
In doing so twenty-three-year old Wiffen becomes Team Ireland’s second medallist at these Olympic Games, after team mate Mona McSharry claimed bronze in the pool last night.
Wiffen, under coach Andi Manley at Loughborough University where he is studying, becomes the first ever Irish man in history to win an Olympic swimming medal.
Wiffen stormed to gold in a time of 7:38.19 setting a new personal best (PB), national record (NR), European record (ER) by a full second in the process.
Wiffen’s stunning performance also set a new Olympic record (OR), knocking over three seconds off the previous one of 7:41.28 set by Mykhalo Romanchuk of Ukraine in Tokyo 2020.
In a nail-biting race Wiffen beat Tokyo 2020 gold medallist American Bobby Finke into second place, who touched in a time of 7:38.75, with Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri claiming bronze in 7:39.38.
Wiffen has had the most remarkable year having become the first Irish swimmer to ever medal at a World Long Course Championships in February, before becoming double world champion in the 800m & 1500m freestyle, and his 14:34.07 in the latter was the fifth fastest in history.
Speaking poolside afterwards a jubilant Wiffen said: “I don’t think a lot of people actually believed me that I was going to do it tonight but yeah it was incredible. I’ve done it – that’s all I want to say!
“I was so nervous, that’s the most nervous I’ve ever been for a race but do you know what calmed me down – I heard by brother shout for me as soon as I walked out. I heard none of the crowd – just him, and that’s what calmed me down, and really levelled my head.”
“I’m not going to lie, there’s this whole saying going around that I’m getting ‘Finked’ – I’m glad to say I haven’t been ‘Finked” so obviously pretty happy to get my hand on the wall first.”
“It feels incredible. Andrew Bree said it just as I want to say it –‘lights, camera, action’ – that’s exactly what I did – I’m writing myself into the history books!”