Daniel Wiffen
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | Leeds, England | 14 July 2001||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home town | Magheralin, County Down | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country | Ireland, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Daniel Wiffen (born 14 July 2001) is a swimmer from Northern Ireland who competes at the Olympic Games, World championships and European championships for Ireland and at the Commonwealth Games for Northern Ireland. He won the 800 and 1500 metres freestyle at the 2024 world championships, the first time a male Irish swimmer had become world champion.[1][2] Wiffen holds the 800 metres freestyle short-course world record with a time of 7:20.46.[3]
Background
[edit]Wiffen was born in England and moved to Magheralin, County Down, at the age of two. Possessing both Irish and British nationality, he represents Ireland at Olympic, World and European level, and Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games. He became the 2023 European short-course (25-metre pool) champion over 400, 800 and 1500 metres freestyle, the first Irish swimmer to win European short-course gold. In the 2022 Commonwealth Games he won the silver medal for Northern Ireland in the 1500 metres freestyle.[4]
He competed in the men's 800 metres freestyle and 1500 metres freestyle at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[5][6] In December 2022 Wiffen broke the European record for the 800 metres freestyle short course, becoming the first Irishman to hold a European record in swimming.[7] At the 2023 World Aquatics Championships he broke the European record for the 800 metres long course as well.
He also won the inaugural 2023 European under-23 championship over 1500 metres freestyle.
Year | 400m | 800m | 1500m |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | — | 8th | 9th |
2023 | 4th | 4th | |
2024 | 7th |
Paris 2024
[edit]Wiffen qualified in the 1500m, 800m & 400m events for 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, but will not compete in the 400m and will instead swim in the 10km open water swim becoming Ireland's first Olympian in Open Water Swimming, swimming in the River Seine.
Personal Life
[edit]Daniel's brother, Nathan, is also a swimmer who finished 4th in the 1500m at the 2024 European Championships.
Daniel and his brother have a Youtube Channel.
Wiffen attends Loughborough University.[8]
Records
[edit]Record | Event | Time | Meet | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
WR | 800m Freestyle (SC) | 7.20.46 | European SC Championships | 10 December 2023 |
ER | 800m Freestyle | 7.39.19 | World Championships | 26 July 2023 |
National Records LC | ||||
NR | 400m Freestyle | 3:44.35 | Swim Open Stockholm | 13 April 2023 |
NR ER | 800m Freestyle | 7.39.19 | World Championships | 26 July 2023 |
NR | 1500m Freestyle | 14:34.07 | World Championships | 18 February 2024 |
National Records SC | ||||
NR | 400m Freestyle | 3:35.47 | European SC Championships | 5 December 2023 |
WR NR | 800m Freestyle | 7.20.46 | European SC Championships | 10 December 2023 |
NR | 1500m Freestyle | 14:09.11 | European SC Championships | 7 December 2023 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Daniel Wiffen makes history with gold medal at World Championships in Doha". RTÉ Sport. 15 February 2024. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024.
- ^ "World champion Daniel Wiffen savouring 'surreal' achievement". RTÉ Sport. 15 February 2024. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024.
- ^ Ryan, Eoin (4 July 2024). "Daniel Wiffen smashes 800m freestyle world record to win third European Short Course Championships gold". RTÉ Sport. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024.
- ^ "Daniel Wiffen". Olympedia. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ "Men's 800m Freestyle: Results Summary" (PDF). Tokyo 2020. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ "Men's 1500m Freestyle Heats Results" (PDF). Tokyo 2020. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 30 July 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Kenny, John (15 December 2022). "Wiffen sets European record in 800m freestyle". RTÉ Sport.
- ^ Gray, Andy (25 July 2024). "Paris 2024: 'I'm not coming away from Paris without a medal'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
Wiffen, a student at Loughborough University.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Daniel Wiffen at World Aquatics
- Daniel Wiffen at SwimRankings.net
- Daniel Wiffen at Olympics.com
- Daniel Wiffen at Olympedia
- Daniel Wiffen at the Olympic Federation of Ireland
- Daniel Wiffen at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games