Daniel Wiffen Makes More History for Ireland with 800 Free Gold

Paris Olympics, Night 4: Daniel Wiffen Makes More History for Ireland with 800 Free Gold

As of Monday afternoon, only one Irish swimmer had ever won an Olympic medal, and under controversial circumstances.

Two nights later, that club of Irish Olympic medalists has tripled, with a golden tint — the boy born on Bastille Day, in Paris, swimming up a storm as a storm passed by Paris La Defense Arena Tuesday night.

Daniel Wiffen won gold in the men’s 800 freestyle Tuesday night at the Paris Olympics, holding off the trademark charge of American reigning champion Bobby Finke to get the win in 7:38.19. It’s the Olympic record by more than three seconds and it’s the sixth fastest performance of all time.

Wiffen joins Mona McSharry’s bronze medal in the women’s 100 breaststroke on Monday as the only medal for Ireland since Michelle Smith in 1996.

Wiffen felt the moment was his as soon as he came out on deck. He said the only voice he could hear among the throngs was his twin brother, Nathan Wiffen. It guided him to a block and a race with destiny.

“The only voice I heard in the crowd was my twin brother Nathan,” Daniel said. “I’ve been asked what actually kept me level-headed when I walked out. And yeah, I mean, it was just written in the stars, wasn’t it?”

• World record: Zhang Lin, China, 7:32.12 (2009)
• Olympic record: Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine, 7:41.28 (2021)
• Tokyo Olympic champion: Robert Finke, USA, 7:41.87

Daniel Wiffen’s gold comes after acute pain this time last summer. He set a European record in the 800 free at the World Championships yet had no medal to show for it, behind Ahmed Hafnaoui, Sam Short and Finke. Hafnaoui isn’t in Paris, Short didn’t survive prelims and Wiffen … well he’s golden.

Finke cemented a legacy for a lifetime at the Tokyo Olympics. Not only was the first man to win the 800 meters in the Olympics, but his final-50 charge has become almost a verb unto itself in the right swimming circles (as in, he/she/it Finkes).

Finke looked set to Finke again Tuesday when he turned for home 1.37 seconds ahead of the leader Gregorio Paltrinieri. He got to Paltrinieri, who hung on easily for bronze medal, the fourth in his stellar career. But Wiffen knew the deal and was ready for him, keeping enough in reserve for a 26.94 to the 26.47 that Finke unleashed. Finke touched in 7:38.75, with Paltrinieri in 7:39.89.

Since it’s Wiffen’s night, led the Irishman explain:

“I knew an Olympics is completely different. You don’t know how you’re going to feel in the first 100. So really, my first 300 meters was absolutely terrible. My stroke was all over the place. I was just so nervous that I couldn’t get any stroke intact. But luckily, I had a good enough easy speed to keep it going and I was still in the race. Then my goal was to keep building, keep building, keep building, got to 150 (to go) and in my head it went so fast, so that was lucky.”

“I was really trying that last 50,” Finke said. “I knew where Greg was. I knew Dan was pulling ahead at the 100 because I was breathing toward that way. The last 50, I’m not really sure when I got by Greg. I knew Dan was still ahead but I was really just, the last 25, last 15, I just put my head down and stopped looking around and was just praying I would get my hand in.”

Finke was one of only two holdovers from the Olympics final in 2021, the other silver medalist Paltrinieri. His medal is the 600th all-time in swimming for the United States and the 3,001st all-time American medal between the Summer and Winter Games.

Finke was proud of his silver if unable to hide a little disappointment that it wasn’t gold.

“I like winning, so it always sucks not to win,” Finke said. “But I really did the best I could, and I’ve got to be proud of that, even if it’s not a gold. The silver is nothing to be disappointed in. I’ve just got to take that as motivation into the mile.”

After hanging back to get silver in the 400 free, Elijah Winnington went out hard after the 800. He was back in the pack by 350 meters and labored home in eighth. Wiffen took to the front midway with Finke in pursuit. Off the 600-meter wall, Paltrinieri made his move, having been the chased by Finke in Tokyo and knowing he’d need a cushion on Finke coming home. It wouldn’t be enough.

Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi was fourth though never a serious medal threat in 7:42.83. Sven Schwarz and David Aubry tied for fifth.

Wiffen exudes confidence, with his disarming if slightly gawky frame. He loves to play it up even if he admitted a little nerves upon waking up Tuesday for his date with destiny. To be the one that brought out the Irish national anthem over the loudspeakers, to be the first Olympic gold medalist of these Games for his country, it’s beyond words for Wiffen.

“I don’t normally cry, so I really hoped that nobody would see that,” he said. “But yeah, it did come out of me and it’s obviously just a special moment. I’ve never heard that national anthem at an Olympics before. And it’s just crazy to say that it was me standing on that No. 1 podium to hear it for the first time.”