Daniel Wiffen Makes History with 800m Freestyle Gold

Daniel Wiffen became the first athlete from Northern Ireland to win an Olympic gold medal in 36 years, triumphing in the 800m freestyle final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Team Ireland swimmer edged out American Bobby Finke by 0.56 seconds with a burst of speed in the last 50 meters, setting an Olympic record with a time of 7:38.19. This victory marks the first gold medal for Ireland at these Games. Wiffen’s win was met with loud cheers from pockets of Irish supporters in La Defense Arena.

“I was writing ‘I’m going into the history books’, and that’s exactly what I’ve done,” he told BBC Sport. Overwhelmed with emotion, Wiffen received his gold medal with tears in his eyes, celebrating with his family and coaches afterward. He also becomes the first athlete from Northern Ireland to win Olympic gold for Ireland and the first Irish swimmer to win gold since 1996.

Wiffen’s triumph adds to his 800m and 1500m wins at the World Championships in Doha this year. Despite the sweltering 36C heat in Paris, he remained composed in the most significant race of his life. Having set the fastest time in the heats, Wiffen was well-prepared and executed his strategy perfectly. The race itself was thrilling, with Wiffen initially taking the lead at the midpoint. He faced strong competition from Finke and Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, leading to a dramatic finish.

Falling to second place with 50 meters to go, Daniel Wiffen dug deep to overtake Finke and secure the gold. After the race, Wiffen expressed disbelief at his accomplishment, stating he wouldn’t leave Paris without a medal. He now aims for a historic double in the men’s 1500m with heats on Saturday and a potential final on Sunday.