Daniel Wiffen makes history with gold medal at World Aquatics Championships in Doha

Daniel Wiffen continues his reign over Irish and international swimming after winning gold in the 800m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Making national athletic history, the 22-year-old Armagh swimmer became the first Irish swimmer to win a medal at World Championships, one of many conferences which forecast Olympic seeding.

Wiffen was seeded second in the prelims, and maintained his standing in the final, before surging in the last 100m to overtake Elijah Winnington of Australia and Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri, who would finish second and third in times of 7:42.95 and 7:42.98, respectively. With an ample margin, Wiffen clocked in at an astounding 7:40.94.

In December, he made history at the European Short Course Championships in Romania after breaking one of the sport's longest-standing world record in the same event by two seconds, Ireland's first-ever world record in swimming.

In an interview with Hot Press last month, Wiffen discussed his meteoric rise in the sport, nationally and internationally, and his record to show for it: "In my head, I’d already been a world record holder before I did it,” he laughs. “I put those steps in place, so it was just about executing it on the day. I’m getting more attention, and I’m more well-known in the sport, but it hasn’t changed me at all. I’m still the same person. Well, that’s what I think… You can ask my coaches!”

The road to Paris looks all the more propitious after the Olympic hopeful's win in Qatar today.

“I just can’t wait to get there,” he said, speaking to Lucy O'Toole. “I think we’re going to see multiple Olympic medalists, and maybe gold medalists, for Ireland in 2024.”