Daniel Wiffen claims 1500 metres bronze and a slice of Ireland history
Wiffen, who won 800 metres gold earlier in the Games, becomes the first Irish male to win multiple medals at the same Games.
Daniel Wiffen made more history on the final night of Olympic action in the pool as the Ireland star claimed bronze in the men’s 1500 metres final.
In following up his gold in the 800m with another podium place, Wiffen became the first Irish male to win multiple medals at the same Olympics – and the first person since Michelle Smith 28 years ago.
“I’m happy but a bit disappointed at the same time,” Wiffen said.
“I can’t be more pleased to be Olympic champion, but the bronze medal, I know you have to be pleased with any medal but when you hit gold the first time you’re racing you don’t want less than that.
“But I’m happy. We’ve never had a medal at the Olympics before for men so to come away with two, I’m very happy.”
Wiffen beat America’s Robert Finke and Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri over 800m as he became Ireland’s first male medallist in the pool and third overall after Michelle Smith and Mona McSharry.
But Finke set a breakneck pace in the 1500 as he led from start to finish to record a new world record time of 14 minutes and 30.67 seconds, nearly nine seconds quicker than Wiffen as Paltrinieri bagged silver.
“The way I was looking, Greg was kind of blocking Bobby, so I couldn’t see him and then when I saw him way up ahead I said ‘we’re going to be in for a very painful race here’,” Wiffen added.
“I did dig deep to try and push it but I just didn’t have enough.
“I’m just thinking in my head – a gold and a bronze, I can’t be more happy and today’s race didn’t go my way but who cares, I’m Olympic champion. To be honest, it’s quite emotional.”
