LAST UPDATE | 30 Jul
IRELAND’S DANIEL Wiffen has won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in the 800m freestyle.
The 23-year-old achieved the feat with a new Olympic record time of 7:38.19.
The Armagh swimmer took gold, with USA’s Bobby Finke (7:38.75) claiming silver and Gregorio Paltrinieri (7:39.38) of Italy earning bronze.
The top three pulled away from the other competitors towards the race’s climax.
Wiffen was in second and third position for long spells but finished strongly in the final 50m to secure a historic result.
The Irish star’s feat continues a fantastic week for Irish swimming, with Mona McSharry winning bronze in last night’s 100m Breaststroke final.
It is Ireland’s first gold medal in swimming since Michelle Smith at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Mykhailo Romanchuk of Ukraine previously held the 800m freestyle Olympic record with a time of 7:41.28.
Wiffen’s previous 800m freestyle personal best was a national record of 07:39.19.
'What's my name? Daniel Wiffen, Olympic champion'
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 30, 2024
Daniel Wiffen speaks to @OFlynnPaul after winning gold for Ireland in the 800m freestyle in Paris #RTESport #Paris2024
📱Updates https://t.co/01ShZjM17C
📺 Watch https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7 pic.twitter.com/Nat6iW90po
“Amazing. It’s really good, I can’t believe it,” Wiffen told RTÉ afterwards.
“Now I can say I’m one of the best ever.
“I was looking at Bobby Finke. I’d been practising the whole day for this, [saying] I will not get caught in the last 50.
“Keep watching, we’re not done this week.”
Finke, the reigning Olympic champion from Tokyo, was 0.78 seconds ahead of Wiffen with 100m to go, and the Irish star was still second — 0.10 seconds back — for the final length.
🥇for Ireland
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 30, 2024
Relive the last 50 metres as Daniel Wiffen became the ninth Irish athlete to win Olympic gold #RTESport #Paris2024
📱Updates https://t.co/01ShZjM17C
📺 Watch https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7 pic.twitter.com/P8GSKycgKO
Paltrinieri, an Olympic silver medallist in Tokyo, was in contention throughout.
Tonight’s result continues an incredible year for Wiffen, a product of the Larne Swimming Club, who has been training and studying at Loughborough University since 2021.
2024 also saw the two-time Olympian become a double world champion in the 800m and 1500m.
Ireland are now 14th in the overall medals table.
Wiffen’s next event is in Heat 3 of the 1500m freestyle on Saturday, 3 August at approximately 11.05am, while he has also suggested he could do his first-ever marathon swim (10k) on Friday, 9 August at 6.30am.
Additional reporting by Niall Kelly
