Daniel Wiffen: No Regrets About Taking To The River Seine Despite “Violent” 10k Debut
Daniel Wiffen stepped out of the River Seine at the end of the 10k and promptly declared it would be his first and last open water race.
The Irishman’s words went viral, read and watched by thousands across the world.
It brought to an end Wiffen’s historic Olympics. Gold in the 800 free was followed by 1500 bronze before he took to the waters of the river that threads through Paris.
Ahead of the marathon swimming, Wiffen thought he had a chance of a medal. However, by the time the day of the race dawned, he was “completely dead” following the constant rounds of interviews.
Daniel Wiffen: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala, Deepbluemedia
Casting his mind back, Wiffen told Swimming World: “I was happy I completed it. I was thinking about getting out after the second lap because I was absolutely on my arse, dead.
“I was talking to the guys feeding me, I was in the front pack and I was like just chill: I was trying to bridge a gap (on the front three) but nobody else wanted to bridge it with me. I think everyone else was satisfied with not winning a medal which I struggle to understand because I tried to push the pace to try and pull it back but nobody else wanted to do it.
“Every time I took a feed, I just started chatting to the people feeding me: I can’t not talk for two hours, I find that impossible. I was just laughing saying I’m going to get out next lap but I kept going every time I said it.”
The double world champion added: “Honestly, it was so violent in that race: I got hit in the face so many times I just thought I couldn’t be arsed anymore, I wasn’t in the medal race so I started swimming by myself. I know I can hold a lot stronger pace than everybody else so I couldn’t be arsed getting kicked in the face, fighting for 10th place when I’d already got two medals.
“So, I just went and sat on the outside just to complete the race and make sure I came out without a black eye even though I did have a bit of a swollen eye after the race because when I dived in I got punched straight in the face and it kind of threw me off because I was basically out of the medals straightaway. If you don’t get the start of the open water race right, you’ll never be in the race.
“I had a good time anyway, I quite enjoyed it, I’m happy I went viral for my interview, apparently made people happy with that. Other than that, I am not looking to do it at the moment.”
Wiffen finished 18th on his debut as Kristof Rasovszky led home Oliver Klemet and Hungary teammate David Betlehem for the title.
Four men failed to finish with the course, conditions and field conspiring to end their Olympic 10k hopes.
British duo Hector Pardoe and Toby Robinson – who were sixth and 14th respectively – have trained with Wiffen at Loughborough as has Felix Auboeck of Austria who finished 24th.
Kristof Rasovszky: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Wiffen describes doing the 10k with the trio as one of the most special moments of Paris 2024.
He has no regrets in competing despite later being hospitalised with a stomach bug following the swim in the bacteria-laden river which caused him to miss out on being one of the Ireland flag-bearers at the Closing Ceremony.
“To be honest, I took the risk of going in the Seine. We always knew it was going to happen; you were going to get ill in some way especially because I’d just raced for nearly a week before and then having to test my immune system in a two-hour race which I’ve never done before.
“We all expected I was going to get ill but I got a lot more ill than I thought in terms of a lot of blood was coming out of everywhere.
“To be fair, if they didn’t have it in the Seine then I wouldn’t have done it. I only did it because it was in the Seine and it’s iconic. So, if it was in the rowing lake I wouldn’t have touched the open water – I’d have just gone out partying for a week.”