Wiffen ready to go long

DANIEL Wiffen is back in action this week after his historic two-gold haul at the World Aquatic Championships.

The 22-year-old is swapping the Aspire Dome in Doha for the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield for his next assignment.

The Loughborough student didn’t hang about after adding his 1500m Freestyle triumph – breaking his Irish record in the process – to the 800m Freestyle victory he picked up in midweek.

Wiffen (22) hightailed back to England as he will be competing in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Long Course Championships.

In the Short Course Championships at the same venue last November, the

Armagh man beat his twin brother Nathan by over 20 seconds as they finished first and second in the 1500m Freestyle.

The following day, he romped home in the 800m Freestyle.

A few weeks later, Wiffen became the world record holder at the distance in the European Championships in Romania.

“Coming away with two gold medals and a PB, it’s just so good,” he said.

“My goal (in the 1500m) wasn’t to pace it off other people, it was to pace it on myself and what I’ve done in training and I just wanted to go out easy and just stick with the pace and it worked out again.

Close

“A PB, I’m happy with that and the world record being so close, everyone always wants that world record. I’d love to get one in long course.

“I’ve got a long time left swimming so I’m sure I’ll get it at some stage. This wasn’t the day, but I’m happy.

“It’s basically the same schedule for me, I got to the final of the 400m Freestyle as well so my goal is to keep progressing and I’ve progressed my time.

“There’s not many people going 14.34 in February. I’m happy I’m one of them.”