Daniel Wiffen got the job done this morning in his first race of the World Aquatics Championships securing a place in the 800m Freestyle Final in a Paris 2024 Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) and new Irish record. Wiffen is the third swimmer to achieve the OQT with Ellen Walshe (200m Individual Medley) and Mona McSharry (100m Breaststroke) clocking their required time in the first two days of competition.
Swimming in the final heat, Wiffen along with the full Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games 800m Freestyle podium of Bobby Finke (gold), Gregorio Paltrinieiri (silver) and Mykhailo Romanchuk (bronze) took a lead after the first 100 metres and swam stroke for stroke, knowing if they could keep the pace, they would be through to the final. And so it was that all four qualified, advancing in fourth to seventh place to tomorrow’s Final.
Speaking after the race Wiffen said ‘I’m feeling great, that’s obviously job one done which was to qualify for the Olympics, and then to progress to the final was next so I’ve done both in a really great race. My plan was to be as easy as possible, and I was maybe hoping for a tiny bit faster but I’m really happy I made it back and it wasn’t too taxing in the body’.
Wiffen, who ranks fourth into the final did increase his stroke rate for the last 50m to win the heat in 7:43.81, a new Irish Record, erasing his former best of 7:44.45, which was also well inside the OQT of 7:51.65, he said ‘I didn’t go to my legs there I think, it was more that I just wanted to win the heat by a touch, so I knew that if I sped up my stroke rate a tiny bit I’d get it’
Australia’s Sam Short, who won 1500m Freestyle Commonwealth Games Gold ahead of Wiffen’s silver medal last year, is the fastest qualifier for the 800m Freestyle final in 7:40.90.
The Men’s 800m Freestyle Final takes place tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12.02pm.
Also, in action this morning Darragh Greene won his heat of the 50m Breaststroke in 27.54 to finish in twenty second place overall. Victoria Catterson, making her individual world championships debut clocked 2:00.82 in the 200m Freestyle. Both Greene and Catterson return to the pool on Thursday for the 200m Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle respectively.
This afternoon, Mona McSharry will compete in the 100m Breaststroke Final. McSharry is ranked fourth going into the final which takes place at 1:45pm (Ireland).
Tuesday 25th July Results
Men 50m Breaststroke Darragh Greene 27.54 (22nd)
Women 200m Freestyle Victoria Catterson 2:00.82 (31st)
Men 800m Freestyle Daniel Wiffen 7:43.81 (4th) ISR/OQT
Tuesday 25th July Schedule
Women 100m Breaststroke Final Mona McSharry 1:45pm (IRE)
