Paris Olympics, Night 4: Daniel Wiffen Makes More History for Ireland with 800 Free Gold
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Paris Olympics continues to make history with another incredible performance from Ireland's Daniel Wiffen as he wins the gold medal in the 800 freestyle event. The fourth night of competition was full of excitement as Wiffen showcased his talent and determination in the pool. This victory solidifies his place as a standout athlete at the Games. Congratulations to Daniel Wiffen on this amazing achievement for Ireland.
As of Monday afternoon, just one Irish swimmer had achieved the rare feat of winning an Olympic medal, albeit amidst a storm of controversy.
Two nights later, the group of Irish Olympic medalists has increased to three, with a gold medal winner leading the way. The swimmer, who was born on Bastille Day in Paris, put on an impressive performance at Paris La Defense Arena on Tuesday night.
Daniel Wiffen claimed the top spot in the men's 800 freestyle event at the Paris Olympics, beating out the American champion Bobby Finke with a time of 7:38.19. This set a new Olympic record by a significant margin of over three seconds, making it the sixth fastest swim in history.
Wiffen has now added to Mona McSharry's bronze medal in the women's 100 breaststroke on Monday. This marks the only medal won by Ireland since Michelle Smith in 1996.
Wiffen knew the moment belonged to him as soon as he stepped onto the deck. The only voice he could hear in the crowded space was his twin brother, Nathan Wiffen. It led him towards a crucial decision and a showdown with fate.
"I could only hear my twin brother Nathan's voice in the crowded room," Daniel commented. "People have asked me how I kept calm while leaving, and I just think it was destined to happen, you know?"
Daniel Wiffen experienced a lot of suffering last summer before achieving gold. Even though he broke a European record in the 800 freestyle at the World Championships, he didn't win a medal like Ahmed Hafnaoui, Sam Short, and Finke did. However, Hafnaoui is not competing in Paris, Short didn't make it past the preliminaries, and Wiffen has now won the gold.
Finke established his place in history at the Tokyo Olympics. He not only made history by being the first man to win the 800 meters in the Olympics, but his powerful finish in the last 50 meters has become a defining moment in swimming circles. People now use the term "Finkes" to describe a strong and determined finish in a race.
The race in the Finke looked like it was going to be a repeat on Tuesday when he was leading by 1.37 seconds ahead of the leader Gregorio Paltrinieri. Paltrinieri managed to hold on for the bronze medal, his fourth in a successful career. However, Wiffen was prepared for the challenge and saved enough energy for a strong finish, out touching Finke with a time of 7:38.75 compared to Finke's time of 7:39.89.
On the evening of Wiffen's night, the Irishman took over and began to share his thoughts.
I found out that the Olympics are very unique. It's hard to predict how you will feel during the first 100 meters. Initially, my performance was not great, especially in the first 300 meters. My stroke was unsteady and I was so anxious that I couldn't maintain a consistent rhythm. Fortunately, I had enough speed to stay competitive and remain in the race. From that point on, my strategy was to steadily improve and push myself further. As I approached the final 150 meters, everything seemed to happen quickly in my mind, which worked in my favor.
"I was working really hard during that final 50 meters," Finke stated. "I was aware of Greg's position. I noticed Dan started to pull ahead at the 100-meter mark because I was looking in that direction while taking my breaths. During the last 50 meters, I can't pinpoint exactly when I passed Greg. I knew Dan was still in the lead, but during the last 25 and 15 meters, I decided to focus solely on reaching the finish line and stopped checking my surroundings. I was just hoping and praying that I would be able to touch the wall first."
Finke was one of just two athletes who competed in the Olympics final in 2021, along with silver medalist Paltrinieri. His medal marks the 600th in swimming for the United States and the 3,001st overall American medal across both the Summer and Winter Games.
Finke felt satisfied with his silver medal, although he couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed that he didn't win gold.
"I enjoy being a winner, so it's always disappointing to not come out on top," Finke expressed. "However, I know I gave it my all, and I should take pride in that, even if I didn't win gold. Winning silver is still an accomplishment to be proud of. I need to use this as motivation going into the mile event."
Following his second-place finish in the 400 free, Elijah Winnington pushed himself to go fast in the 800. However, he fell behind by the 350-meter mark and struggled to finish in eighth place. Wiffen took the lead halfway through, with Finke not far behind. Paltrinieri made a decisive move after the 600-meter mark, knowing he needed to stay ahead of Finke who had chased him in Tokyo. Despite his efforts, it was not sufficient to secure the victory.
Ahmed Jaouadi from Tunisia finished in fourth place with a time of 7:42.83, but he was not considered a strong contender for a medal. Sven Schwarz and David Aubry both tied for fifth place.
Wiffen radiates self-assurance with his unassuming yet slightly awkward appearance. He enjoys showing off, although he did confess to feeling a bit anxious when he woke up on Tuesday for his big moment. Being chosen to play the Irish national anthem on the speakers and becoming the first Olympic gold medalist of the Games for his country is indescribable for Wiffen.
"I'm not usually emotional, so I was hoping no one would notice," he stated. "But yeah, tears did come, it was a special moment. I had never heard the national anthem at the Olympics before. It's surreal to think that I was the one standing on the top podium hearing it for the first time."
