Eire’s Daniel Wiffen held off a late cost from American Bobby Finke to win the 800m freestyle on the Paris La Protection Area on Tuesday 30 July on the Olympic Video games Paris 2024. Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri took third.

Wiffen set an Olympic document and received the primary gold medal for Eire at Paris 2024. He and Paltrinieri have been tight and holding the lead all through the race, with Finke coming in third. In a déjà vu second from Tokyo 2020, Finke began choosing up steam within the closing 50 metres. However Wiffen held on to the lead and touched the wall first to win his first Olympic medal.

Throughout the medal ceremony, Wiffen smiled and tried to maintain his composure as he listened to the nationwide anthem of Eire. Within the closing moments, tears rolled down his face that he rapidly wiped away earlier than he posed together with his fellow medallists. After the medal ceremony was over, he sprinted over to his household to present them hugs.

A primary-time Olympian, Wiffen took fourth in 2023’s world championships on the 800m, then received gold within the 800m in Doha earlier this yr. Past the pool, he additionally made an look as an additional within the notorious “Purple Wedding ceremony” episode of the hit TV present “Recreation of Thrones.”

Wiffen’s Olympics are usually not over, as he’s scheduled to swim within the 1500m freestyle on 3 August.