'I was so nervous' - Daniel Wiffen wins thrilling Olympic gold for Ireland
CHAMPION: Daniel Wiffen of Ireland celebrates winning gold in the men's 800m freestyle final in a new Olympic record pace of 7:38.19. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Daniel Wiffen has won Ireland’s first gold medal of the 2024 Paris Games with an Olympic record-breaking swim in the final of the men’s 800m freestyle on Tuesday evening.
He is just the tenth Irish athlete to win an Olympic medal and the first Irishman to win a medal of any hue in the pool. And he was remarkably calm after confirming the greatest achievement of his life.
“I didn’t think a lot of people believed me that I was going to do it today but I have done it and that’s all I want to say.”
The Magheralin man was third through the opening 200, moved up to second for the next quarter and took the lead for the halfway mark ahead of the USA’s Bobby Finke and Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy.
He held it for four lengths of the 50m pool before Paltrinieri made his move, the man from Modena at one point having 0.78 seconds on one of Ireland’s great hopes for these Olympics, but Wiffen timed his closing 100m to absolute perfection.
He had 0.56 to spare in the end, not on the Italian who faded to third, but on Finke.
“I’m not going to lie. There’s a whole saying going around about having been Finked and I haven’t been Finked. Pretty happy to say it, very happy to get my hand on the wall first and it was a great race.”
The Armagh man came into this race as the reigning world champion, and as the fastest swimmer across two heats of eight on the Monday, and he was full of confidence that he could claim the top step while insisting any of the three would be reason to cheer.
Wiffen had spoken of his desire to win gold and break world records from a long way out. His twin brother Nathan, an international swimmer at this event in his own right, had reflected that preternatural expectation in the hours beforehand.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a race but, who knows, we’ll see, anything can happen,” said Nathan.
It was a race alright, but Wiffen’s family sounded the perfect note when it really mattered.
“I was so nervous. That’s the most nervous I have ever been before a race but what calmed me down was my brother shouting for me as soon as I walked out. I heard none of the crowd shout, just him, and that’s what really calmed me down and levelled my head.”
Olympic champion. And he still has the 1500m free to come. And an open water swim. This feels like just a beginning.
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