Ireland's Daniel Wiffen celebrates with the bronze medal following the Men's 1500m Freestyle Final at the Paris La Defense Arena. Credit PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen wins 1500m Freestyle bronze
Daniel Wiffen’s incredible Paris campaign continued after securing his second medal of the games in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle.
The current Loughborough University student clocked 14:39.63 to touch the wall in third behind Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri (14:34.55) in silver. The USA’s Bobby Finke won gold in a world record time of 14:30:67.
On the final night of swimming at La Défense Arena, many expected fireworks after Wiffen’s incredible gold in the Men’s 800m. Few, however, could have predicted Finke to maintain such a rapid pace from the start as the American dominated.
Wiffen, 23, remained in contention for the medal places throughout and duly cruised home in third to become the first Irish man to win more than one medal at the same games in 28 years.
Wiffen’s legacy was further enhanced as his bronze contributed to Ireland’s best-ever record at a games – surpassing London 2012’s total (six medals).
“To be honest, the 800m surprised me at the start of the week,” Wiffen told BBC Sport.
"Coming into this race I was ready. I completely was in the right shape to go a lot faster than the world record but that's just swimming - some days you have it, some days you don't.
"If you'd told me I'd get a bronze medal at the start of the week, I'd be over the moon. Now I'm coming away with gold and a bronze, it's kind of special."
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Notes for editors
Press release reference number: 24/123
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme and named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2024 QS World University Rankings – the eighth year running.
Loughborough is ranked 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2025, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2024 and 10th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.
Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.
Ireland's Daniel Wiffen celebrates with the bronze medal following the Men's 1500m Freestyle Final at the Paris La Defense Arena. Credit PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Daniel Wiffen’s incredible Paris campaign continued after securing his second medal of the games in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle.
The current Loughborough University student clocked 14:39.63 to touch the wall in third behind Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri (14:34.55) in silver. The USA’s Bobby Finke won gold in a world record time of 14:30:67.
On the final night of swimming at La Défense Arena, many expected fireworks after Wiffen’s incredible gold in the Men’s 800m. Few, however, could have predicted Finke to maintain such a rapid pace from the start as the American dominated.
Wiffen, 23, remained in contention for the medal places throughout and duly cruised home in third to become the first Irish man to win more than one medal at the same games in 28 years.
Wiffen’s legacy was further enhanced as his bronze contributed to Ireland’s best-ever record at a games – surpassing London 2012’s total (six medals).
“To be honest, the 800m surprised me at the start of the week,” Wiffen told BBC Sport.
"Coming into this race I was ready. I completely was in the right shape to go a lot faster than the world record but that's just swimming - some days you have it, some days you don't.
"If you'd told me I'd get a bronze medal at the start of the week, I'd be over the moon. Now I'm coming away with gold and a bronze, it's kind of special."
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme and named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2024 QS World University Rankings – the eighth year running.
Loughborough is ranked 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2025, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2024 and 10th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.
Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.
