Daniel
Wiffen has won his second World Title of the week in the 1500m Freestyle this
evening and has been named Male Swimmer of the Meet by World Aquatics on the
final day of racing at the World Championships in Doha.
Wiffen
demolished the 1500m Freestyle field, claiming the gold medal by over ten
seconds in 14:34.07, a new personal best and Irish Senior Record, breaking his
previous best of 14:34.91 from 2023. Germany’s Florian Wellbrock won silver in
14.44.61 with bronze going to France’s David Aubry in 14:44.85.
A
delighted Wiffen spoke after the race ‘I mean that race was definitely better
for me, I pb’d (personal best), I’m so happy, because after hitting that time
in April (2023), it could have been a fluke, I went 14:35 at the under 23’s
(Dublin, August 2023) in my home town, obviously coming here, the progression
from the 400m to the 800m to the 1500m today, I’m just so happy to come away
with a pb and two world titles’.
Wiffen
swam much of the race out on his own, taking the lead at the 150m and building
up a lead of 20 metres over his opponents that was never relinquished. On his
race tactics, Wiffen said ‘I was talking about it before with my coach Andi
(Manley), and we had a little bet to see if I could pb or not, but yeah 100%,
go out a bit faster than everybody else and just be in my own lane, swim my own
race and get out ahead and really focus on what I was going to do.’
The
22-year-old spent most of race inside world record pace; he is now the fifth
fastest swimmer ever in the event with this time and has a target on Sun Yang’s
2012 World Record of 14:31.02 ‘Yeah 100%, it’s definitely one of my goals to
try and beat that at some point, I mean I’m only 22, I have at least another
eight years, another couple of Olympics in me, I’m sure it will go at some
stage and I hope to be the person to do it’.
Mona
McSharry, competing in her third final of the week, was eighth in the 50m
Breaststroke Final in 30.96. The 23-year-old has had an outstanding week,
making finals in the 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke with fifth place finishes
in the 100m and 200m Olympic events.
Speaking
after the race McSharry said ‘I think, I’m a little hard on myself and I
expected a little bit more coming into this, three finals is definitely
progress and being able to move along and perform well through the rounds is
definitely something positive so, I’ll take that from it’.
Conor
Ferguson (Backstroke), Darragh Green (Breaststroke), Max McCusker (Butterfly)
and Shane Ryan (Freestyle), were seventh in the Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay in
3:35.28, just outside the 3:34.97 swam in this morning’s heats.
The
Medley Relay today was an opportunity for nations to secure their places at the
Paris Olympic Games, with the combined Top-16 times from Doha and the 2023
World Championships in Japan considered for invitations. As of this evening
Ireland sit thirteenth (Women) and fifteenth (Men) and within the quota spots
available.
Ireland
still have some work to do in the Men’s relay, with two Olympic Qualification
Times (OQT) required from the team in order to confirm the Olympic place when
the invitation arrives. Ireland have only had one previous Male relay at an
Olympic Games when the 4x200m Freestyle competed in Tokyo in 2021.
Commenting
after the Men’s Medley Final McCusker said ‘We were delighted we got the relay
in, it’s an individual sport and we’re all going for our own times that we need
as well, but getting that relay across the line was the main goal, the main
focus here. I think we’re all in good places now heading into trials as
individuals.’
While
they did not compete in Doha, Ireland's Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay time of
4:01.25 from the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, is good enough for
a quota spot for Paris 2024. Ireland already has two females with Olympic
Qualification Times from that relay in Mona McSharry and Ellen Walshe. It will
be Ireland's first female relay at an Olympic Games since 1972.
Mona
McSharry, who swam the Breaststroke leg in Fukuoka said ‘That’s definitely one
of the positives of this competition was getting to finalise that spot and know
that we’re definitely going. It’s going to be a lot of fun to compete with the
girls, I think it’s the last event in Paris, so it will be nice for us all to
finish together with a relay and it shows where women’s swimming is going in
Ireland.’
Speaking
at the conclusion of racing in Doha, Swim Ireland National Performance Director
Jon Rudd said “This brings to an end a wonderful week for Irish swimming, a
terrific team performance and some exceptional stand out moments across the
eight days. The superlatives for Daniel Wiffen’s two gold medals this week are
endless, and how he continues to inspire young Irish swimmers back at home with
these swims of this nature cannot be measured. Mona McSharry has also featured
in three finals this week, another tremendous achievement and for the Men’s
Medley relay to make the final with yet another ‘first’ for us is outstanding.
Seven finals in total for us here and another three semi-finals, with Ireland
finishing tenth on the World Medal Table. At least two of our relays can now
look forward to Olympic invites and our final Olympic Trials in May is set to
become one of the most exciting swimming events ever to take place at the
National Aquatic Centre. So, a thank you and a very well done is due to this team
of terrific athletes, their coaches, and their home programmes; they have done
us proud once again.”
The next
opportunity for Irish swimmers to qualify for the Paris Games will be at the
Irish Open Championships and Olympic Trials, which take place at the Sport
Ireland National Aquatic Centre from May 22nd – 26th.
Results
Day 8 Finals
Women 50m
Breaststroke Mona McSharry H 30.72 (7th) SF 30.57 (6th) F 30.96 (8th)
Men 1500m
Freestyle Daniel Wiffen H 14:54.29
(6th) F 14:34.07 (1st)
Men
4x100m Medley Relay Ireland H 3:34.97 (8th) F 3:35.28 (7th)
(Conor
Ferguson, Darragh Greene, Max McCusker, Shane Ryan)
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