‘This is The Dan Wiffen Show’ – double Olympic Games gold dream still on course for Magheralin swimmer
Magheralin’s Daniel Wiffen can continue his bid to become a double Olympic Games champion on Sunday thanks to commanding success across the weekend heats.
The Team Ireland swimmer stepped on to the starting block on Saturday morning for the men’s 1500m freestyle heats bolstered by Paris glory in last Tuesday’s thrilling 800m freestyle final.
The 23-year-old has already made history as our first individual summer Olympic Games champion since Lady Mary Peters in 1972 – and only fourth in Northern Ireland history at that point following the 1988 gold won by Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood with the Team GB hockey squad.
Now, having safely managed to negotiate heat three on Saturday morning of the 1500m freestyle with a controlled victory, Wiffen’s focus will turn to Sunday evening (5.37pm UK start time) and what he hopes to prove the second Paris triumph.
With eight final spots up for grabs across four Saturday heats, Wiffen’s assured performance had commentators full of praise with one simply stating how ‘this is The Dan Wiffen Show’.
In the men’s 800m freestyle final last Tuesday, Wiffen posted a superb Olympic Record time of 7:38.19 to become the first male Team Ireland swimmer to win a Games medal.
Clocking the fifth fastest time in the discipline’s history, Wiffen set a new personal best (PB), national record (NR) and European record (ER) by a full second in the process.
Speaking poolside afterwards last week, 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.
“It feels incredible...I’m writing myself into the history books!”
The remarkable Wiffen is also looking towards the 10km open water as a third event to wrap up his summer tournament.
Belfast’s Jack McMillan and Coleraine’s Hannah Scott have also won Paris gold as Northern Ireland-born competitors following Wiffen – in swimming and rowing respectively for Team GB over last Tuesday night and Wednesday morning – with Rebecca Shorten (Team GB, rowing) securing silver last Thursday on the same day Philip Doyle (Team Ireland, rowing) won bronze.
More to come...