Olympic Champion Daniel Wiffen Posts Fourth-Fastest 800 Free Of Career With Rankings-Topper In Dublin
Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen went top of the 2025 rankings with a dominant 800 free victory at the Irish Open Swimming Championships in Dublin.
The 23-year-old took the title in 7:41.52, the fourth fastest of his career topped by the 7:38.19 European and Olympic record en-route to gold in Paris last year.
Out in 26.46, Wiffen reached halfway in 3:48.58 and his splits thereafter ranged from 29.22 to 29.56 before his final 100 of 56.65 (29.10/27.55) guided him home in front of a sold-out crowd at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre.
Daniel Wiffen: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia
It elevated him to the head of the 2025 standings where he displaced Australian Sam Short – 2023 world silver medallist – who went 7:45.02 at the TYR Pro Series Swim – Westmont last month.
Twin brother Nathan made it a Wiffen 1-2 in 7:57.84 with Denis O’Brien third in 8:25.47.
While the double Olympic medallist was among six swimmers to achieve qualifying times for the Singapore worlds at Paris 2024, they’re all required to compete in the same individual events in Dublin to get the consideration time and prove their fitness.
Wiffen is now well set for the World Championships – which run from 27 July to 3 August – where he’ll defend the 800 (7:40.94) and 1500 (14:34.07) free titles he won in Doha in February last year before his exploits in Paris.
Speaking to Swim Ireland, the Loughborough swimmer said: “This is the first time I’m going to say this on camera, I am quite disappointed. For me, the way I’ve been training I was expecting quite a bit faster but if I look at the time itself it’s the same (time) I won the World Championships in, it’s within 0.2 of a second off, it’s still quite a good time to win the Irish Championships gold.
“It’s amazing seeing this many people in the NAC, I’ve never seen so many people at an Irish Open. I loved it, it’s great to see the crowds come out and watch Ireland’s best swimmers.”
Fannon On Song In The 50 Free; McCartney Continues Fine Form
Tom Fannon impressed headed the 50 free semis in 21.77, knocking one hundredth of a second off the championship record of 21.78 he set in prelims. Fannon was just 0.03 shy of his Irish record of 21.74 set in the semis at Paris 2024 and was once more inside the World Aquatics QT. Three-time Olympian Shane Ryan will be the second seed for Monday’s final after he won the first semi in 22.30.
Evan Bailey set his second championship record of the meet and claimed the 200m freestyle title in a personal best of 1:47.04. The National Centre Limerick swimmer knocked .04 off the time of 1:47.08 he set in Saturday’s heats to win his first Irish Open title. Cormac Rynn was the only other swimmer under 1.50 touching for silver in 1:49.41.
Ellie McCartney: Photo Courtesy: Swim Ireland
National Centre Limerick’s Ellie McCartney continued her fine form in the 100m breaststroke semis and is now Ireland’s second fastest swimmer in the event having posted a time of 1:07.00 which only Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry has bettered in Irish waters. McCartney will take the centre lane for Monday’s final, with McSharry, who clocked 1:07.24, alongside her.
Eoin Corby topped the rankings once again in the men’s 100m breaststroke semis in 1:01.00, good enough to see him under the consideration time for the European Aquatics U23 Championships.
Clare Custer won her first national title in the 1500m freestyle. The 17-year-old cruised to victory over Kingdom’s Lily Doyle (17:27.63) and Larne’s Skye Austin-Burrows (17:44.72)
In the 200m butterfly final, Alana Burns Atkin retained the national title for the fourth year in a row. The National Centre Ulster swimmer topped the podium in 2:16.85 followed by Eva Bayley of New Ross in 2:23.64 and Eva Hand of Bangor 2:29.83.
Brandon Biss of Swim Belfast was crowned the first national champion of the week as the Swim Belfast man came home in 56.72 in the Open 100m backstroke final. Biss finished behind Portugal’s Joao Costa who claimed commemorative gold in 54.91 and ahead of Neddie Irwin (57.67) of National Centre Limerick and New Ross’ Emmet Cousins (57.69).
National Centre Ulster’s Lottie Cullen won her second consecutive 100m backstroke title. The 20-year-old touched in 1:01.56 and inside the consideration time for both the World University Games and European Aquatics U23 Championships. National Centre Ulster’s Maria Godden was second in 1:02.10 with UCD’s Jena Macdougald claiming the bronze medal in 1:04.02.
Niamh Connery, who secured a qualification time for the European Aquatics Junior Championships in the 100m Breaststroke, doubled up on events on day two with a win in the 200IM in 2:20.91 ahead of UCDs Jena Macdougald (2:21.62) and National Centre Limerick’s Lucy O’Brien (2:23.28).
Larne’s Danielle Hill leads the qualifiers for Monday’s 100m freestyle final winning the second semi-final in 55.46 seconds. Grace Davison won the first semi-final in 56.02 seconds to progress second overall.
Jack Cassin was the fastest Irish swimmer in the 100m butterfly semi-finals posting 53.32 behind Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro (52.75) and Germany’s Luca-Nik Armbuster (53.26).
