Olympians Daniel Wiffen and Rory McIlroy have both missed out on further gold glory for Northern Ireland as the first week of the Paris games comes to a close.
On Sunday evening, swimmer Wiffen missed out on a second gold medal in the French capital as he took bronze in the 1500m men’s freestyle.
Wiffen, who earlier this week became the first athlete from Northern Ireland to secure an Olympic gold medal in nearly four decades, missed out after Team USA’s Bobby Finke took gold, with Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri taking silver.
The Co Armagh man was widely tipped as the favourite in the race having previously posted a time of 14:40.34 in the 1,500m freestyle heats — two seconds quicker than Paltrinieri, who the 23-year old beat to take gold in the 800m.
But Team USA’s Finke broke the world record set by China’s Sun Yang at the 2012 Olympics.
Daniel Wiffen in action during the men’s 1500m freestyle final at the Paris La Défense Arena (David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile)
On Saturday, Wiffen said despite winning gold in the 800m, the 1,500m freestyle was his “aspiration”.
“I really want this 1,500 gold. I came into the meet and that was my aspiration, the 800 I wasn´t really thinking about too much because I love the 1,500,” he said.
“But coming into the 1,500 now I have to find different ways to motivate myself and different ways to go fast.
“That´s exactly what I´m going to do,” he said.
Speaking to RTE after the 1,500m race, Wiffen said: “Right now, I’m happy but disappointed at the same time. Looking across the week, I can’t be pleased more with being an Olympic champion.
“With the bronze medal — I know I came into this happy with any medal — but when you hit gold the first time you race, you kind of don’t want any less than that.
“But I’m happy. You know, we’ve never had a medal before in this competition in the Olympics for men, so to come away with two, I’m very happy.”
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Wiffen’s bronze means Ireland now have six medals in Paris, equalling their best ever haul at London 2012.
His latest medal adds to his World Championship firsts in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle in Doha in February.
He said being an double Olympic medallist was a “dream come true”.
“I couldn’t dream of an Olympic medal honestly.
“Being 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 to get that world record, but we will be back better next time.”
Ireland’s Rory McIlroy on the 18th hole during the Men’s Golf Individual Stroke Play Round 4 at Le Golf National on the ninth day of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France (John Walton/PA Wire)
There was worst luck for Northern Ireland’s other hopeful yesterday. Co Down golfer Rory McIlroy missed out on an honour for Team Ireland after he finished in tied 5th place in the men’s golf competition following a costly double bogey which saw him plummet down the leaderboard.
While he wasn’t tipped for a medal heading into the game, McIlroy thrust himself into contention with five successive birdies in the back nine — but finished two shots behind Hideki Matsuyama after finding water at 15 and taking a double bogey six.
Scottie Scheffler of Team USA instead took gold just head of Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood, while bronze went to Matsuyama of Japan.
McIlroy previously said winning gold at the games would be one of his “proudest moments” and revealed he “had to get over” his previous dislike of the Olympics.
He also previously said Paris 2024 was “golf’s coming out party at the Olympic Games” and praised the crowd’s response to the sport returning after a 112-year absence.
“It didn’t get off to the greatest of starts, golf at the Olympics, with Rio and with Covid in Tokyo, but I think this was golf’s coming out party in the Olympic Games,” he told Eurosport.
“It’s been an incredible week. Just seeing the crowds out there and playing in that atmosphere was absolutely amazing,”
“It’s one of the best golf tournaments I’ve ever been involved in.
“It was a really cool experience out there.”
McIlroy’s Irish team-mate Shane Lowry finished five-under-par and in a tie for 26th place.