THERE’S something in the water in Paris.
First Sligo’s Mona McSharry got Ireland off the mark with a first medal at this Olympics on Monday and, on Wednesday night, Daniel Wiffen made it a dream couple of days in the pool when claiming a dramatic gold in the 800m freestyle.
The Armagh ace blazed home in a time of 7:38.19 to bring La Defense Arena to its feet - setting a new Olympic record in the process as well as a new personal best, national record and European record by a full second.
In a nail-biting finale the 23-year-old beat Tokyo 2020 gold medallist American Bobby Finke into second place, with Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri taking bronze.
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Coming just a few days after Armagh’s All-Ireland win, Wiffen’s win capped an unforgettable week for the Orchard County.
“What can we say? We’re All-Ireland champions and Olympic gold medallists. What a great county…”
And, for all his usual joviality, the gravity of the moment - of what he has achieved – led to tears roll down his face as Amhrán na bhFiann rang out around a packed arena.
“Yeah, I don’t normally cry, so I was really hoping nobody was going to see that.
“But it did come out of me… it’s obviously just a special moment. I never heard that national anthem at an Olympics before, and it’s just crazy to say it was me standing on the number one podium here at the Olympics.”
It wasn’t long, though, before normal service was resumed - Wiffen reminding reporters that he was only fulfilling his own prophesy. Others may have doubted his words, he believed every bit of it.
“I’m not going to lie,” he smiled, “I did tell everybody already what was going to happen. It’s just good to see it on paper. I don’t think a lot of people actually believed me that I was going to do it tonight.
“This is going to sound really weird to say but I’ve dreamed of this moment so many times in my head, I’ve gone over it so many different ways about how it was going to happen… it was just written in the stars.
“Bastille Day is my birthday, it’s 100 years since Ireland competed [in the Olympics], there was also a storm tonight at nine o’clock.
“I said to my coach Steve [Beckerleg], I was like “we’re renaming that storm Storm Daniel”, because that was the time the 800 was on.”
And yet nerves got to Wiffen in the early stages of Wednesday night’s final.
Even before the start, butterflies were circling his stomach until the voice that calmed him was the most familiar of all – twin Nathan.
“I was so nervous… that’s the most nervous I’ve ever been for a race but do you know what calmed me down? I heard by brother shout for me as soon as I walked out. I heard none of the crowd, just him, and that’s what calmed me down, and really levelled my head.
“Really my first 300 metres was absolutely terrible; my stroke was all over the place. But luckily I had a good enough easy speed to keep it going, I was still in the race.
“I’m not going to lie, there’s this whole saying going around that I’m getting ‘Finked’ – I’m glad to say I haven’t been ‘Finked” so obviously pretty happy to get my hand on the wall first.
“It feels incredible. Andrew Bree said it just as I want to say it –'lights, camera, action’. That’s exactly what I did. I’m writing myself into the history books!”
The term ‘Finked’ was in reference to the American’s renowned fast finishes, but he had no answer as Wiffen turned on the after-burners.
“I was looking for Bobby Finke the whole time... I was like, ‘I can’t get caught last 50 metres. I’ve been training all f***ing year for this. I will not get caught last 50!
“I kept looking over and looking over and I saw I got by him and I knew it was over, I had won. Now I can say I am one of the best ever.”
Wiffen has had an incredible year having become the first Irish swimmer to ever medal at a World Long Course Championships in February, before becoming double world champion in the 800m and 1500m freestyle, and his 14:34.07 in the latter was the fifth fastest in history.
He will attempt to add another medal when he competes in the heats of the 1500m freestyle – his favourite event - on Saturday morning, with the final on Sunday evening. Wiffen will be in heat three alongside Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri and Australia’s Samuel Short.
He will then bid to another medal in the 10km marathon swim in the Seine on August 9.
That’s why the 800m, he insists, is only the beginning of a spectacular French odyssey.
“The 1500m is on Saturday, my goal is obviously to be back on the podium again.
“I’m only 23, the peak age for my event is 27, but you saw Gregorio Paltrinieri there in the last 100 and he’s like 29. Who knows what’s going to happen in the future? But I’m very happy today to say that I’m Olympic champion.”
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