Paris 2024

Double-medal winner Wiffen the pride of both traditions North and South

Locals in Magheralin ‘proud as punch’ of homeboy while Armagh city’s Sinn Féin lord mayor lauds ‘unifying quality’ of Olympic spirit

Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen celebrates after receiving his bronze medal in the Men's 1500m Freestyle Final. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Sarah Slater
Sun Aug 04 2024 - 21:03

Swimmer Daniel Wiffen securing his second medal is helping to bridge a gap in communities North and South of the Border and outside of political realms. He and four other medallists who live in the north of Ireland have done the entire island of Ireland proud.

In clinching a bronze medal in the gruelling 1,500m freestyle race at the Paris Games, the swimmer from Magheralin on the Armagh and Down border made history with back-to-back medals following his 800m freestyle win on Tuesday night.

Despite being outpaced by his keen rival Robert Finke, the US swimmer who broke the 1,500m world record at the Paris La Défense Arena, the locals of Magheralin are “as proud as punch” of his achievements, says Eamon Wright

Wright, who celebrated his 91st birthday the day Wiffen clinched his first Olympic medal, recalls teaching Daniel and his twin brother Nathan to be altar boys in the local St Patrick and Ronan’s Church.

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“I couldn’t have wished for a better birthday present with Daniel winning the gold and bronze medals. Both boys were lively even back then and loved bringing in their swimming medals to the church when they were wee boys to show everyone,” he says. “We can’t wait for him to come home.”

Caitríona Hughes, of the local community association, also praised the 23-year-old, who holds one world and two European records and has won three European titles, two world championships and one Commonwealth gold medal.

“Daniel’s parents Rachel and Johnathan, older brother Ben and sister Beth are well respected around the area. Ben helped to coach his twin brothers in swimming while his their mother Rachel is also known for her swimming prowess. There is an oak sculpture in the village which depicts life here over 1500 years so Daniel’s name will have to be added to it.”

The family home, just over a kilometre from the village, straddles the Armagh-Down border.

Those gathered in Daniel’s Byrne’s Bar on the edge of the pristine village which has Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic buildings nearby, say they always believed in his talent.

Trevor Woddell, who says Daniel is the best swimmer in the world, says religion “doesn’t come into it” in Magheralin.

“We are a community and we support our own no matter what they do. We are all the same,” says Woddell

Just before Daniel hitting the water in Paris at 5.40pm on Sunday, the Upper Bann Fusiliers band performed through the village to prove the community pulls together.

Wiffen, a Loughborough University IT and business student, started swimming with his identical twin Nathan at just three months old in the local Water Babies sessions. Legend says they could often be seen escaping from the changing rooms and crawling towards the water. They began formal swimming lessons with Cignets Learn to Swim in Lisburn Leisureplex.

Anne Burke, who taught the brothers when they were aged five and six, says they were always having fun.

“Even when the boys were younger, the had no airs and graces. They often used to swap their glasses, as one wore red and the other blue, so they were lovely tricksters even then. Nathan is quieter than Daniel but both were very bright.”

DUP Cllr Ian Wilson for Banbridge, Co Down, said that it is great to see “a local guy doing so well at the Olympics”. He noted Northern Ireland has produced a record share of medals this Olympics.

“Rhys McClenaghan [from Newtownards] who won gold on the pommel horse in gymnastics and the two rowers Philip Doyle from Banbridge and Daire Lynch who claimed bronze medals are all to be celebrated,” says Wilson.

He added that it is “wonderful that local people succeed and it’s good for everyone from grassroots up to see what it is like to be on the world stage through hard work and determination. Everyone is happy that it is time for our athletes to shine”.

Sinn Féin lord mayor of Armagh city, Banbridge and Craigavon Cllr Sarah Duffy was adamant that the Olympics “unites everyone, especially with sports. Politics should not come into it. I’ve no doubt that all the sporting success is inspiring generations of young people not involved to get involved in sport.”

Wiffen’s former headmaster at St Patrick’s Grammar School, Dominic Clarke, said he was “always very confident Daniel would win another medal. Everyone has a significant amount of pride. He is held in very high regard and over the moon with what he has achieved. Daniel has so much more to give the world of swimming and I’ve no doubt he’ll want to win another gold in the next Olympics and achieve a world record as he’s only 23 years old. We can’t wait to see him in the next month or two so we can cheer him on and see those wonderful medals”.