Daniel Wiffen has won the bronze medal in the 1500m freestyle to become a double Olympic medallist.
Six days after being crowned the new 800m Olympic champion, the 23-year-old had to give way to defending Olympic champion Bobby Finke, who led virtually from the start to win the gruelling 30-lap event in a new world record time of 14:30.67 before an ecstatic crowd on the last night of swimming finals at the Paris La Defense Arena.
Wiffen’s prediction that it would take a world record to secure gold was correct but on this occasion he had to yield to Finke and the veteran Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri, both of whom he beat in the 800m Final.
It maintains Ireland’s strike rate of a medal a day and completes an astonishing seven days in the history of Irish swimming, with Wiffen and Mona McSharry collecting three medals in the pool to boost Ireland’s tally for the Games to a record seven, three of which are gold.
Wiffen gave a mature post-race interview, admitting that he ‘just didn’t have enough’ but taking great pride in the two medals he’s won this week.
He said he’s looking forward to relaxing, leaving the pool behind for a while and enjoying the celebrations of his triumphs this week.
Disappointed not to win gold and set a world record mark, he vowed to come back stronger.
“I’m happy but disappointed at the same time,” said the 23-year-old.
“When you hit gold the first time you race, you don’t want less than that.
“The way I was looking, Greg (Paltrinieri) was blocking Bobby (Finke) and I couldn’t see it. Then when I saw him, I was like, ‘it’s going to be a very painful race right now’.
“I did dig deep to try and push it but just didn’t have enough today.
“I’m so happy. I couldn’t dream of anything better. Being an Olympic champion is like a dream come true.
“I did have my sights set on a world record but today wasn’t the day. Well done to Bobby, he did class, and we will be back better next time.
“Tonight I’m going to celebrate. I’m going to put the pool behind me until next season. It’s quite emotional. I don’t know what to say. A gold and a bronze, I can’t be more happy.
“Today’s race didn’t go my way but who cares, I’m an Olympic champion.”
With two French swimmers in the field of eight, there were plenty of home fans in the packed arena but Wiffen, swimming in lane four, still received an enthusiastic welcome.
Finke set the early pace, hitting the 250m in 2:22.69 with Wiffen in fourth. The American was just under world record pace.
Wiffen moved into third spot before the 500m with Paltrinieri in second place. By the 650m mark Finke had a near three-second lead over Wiffen with Paltrinieri still holding second.
The top three were still under world pace at the 800m with no change in the order.
Finke was marginally ahead of Paltrinieri with Wiffen two seconds adrift – the rest of the field were struggling to stay in touch. At the 1km mark Wiffen was close to being four seconds behind Finke but holding the bronze medal position.
There was no sign of Finke tiring as he powered towards home; Paltrinieri hadn’t gave up the chase, with Wiffen in a comfortable third spot.
In the closing 100m Finke held his form to take the gold medal in a new world record of 14.30.67, Paltrinieri won the silver in 14.34.58 while Wiffen won his second Olympic medal, this time a bronze in 14.39.63.
Though it wasn’t the medal he wanted it has still been an outstanding Games for the Irish swimmer.
Wiffen’s personal best for the 1,500m is 14.34.07, which he set when winning the World Championships, so he will be disappointed that he was five seconds off that. But winning the 800m took its toll and it’s a measure of his ambition that he will probably be disappointed just to take a bronze medal in what he regards as his specialist event.