Commonwealth silver medallist and European 800 free short-course record-holder Daniel Wiffen will compete at the inaugural LEN European Under-23 Swimming Championships in Dublin.
The meet will be held in the Irish capital from 11-13 August less than a fortnight after the conclusion of the pool programme at the Fukuoka World Championships which end on 30 July.
Wiffen represented Northern Ireland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games where he won silver in the 1500 free and Ireland at Tokyo 2020 in the 800 and 1500.
Coached by Andi Manley at Loughborough, Wiffen announced himself on the senior international stage when he reached the 800 final at the Budapest worlds last year, posting an Irish record of 7:46.32 in the heats – one of seven national marks he holds in the long and short-course pools.
Then came the European short-course mark of 7:25.96 over 800m, Wiffen going second all-time behind only Grant Hackett and his world record of 7:23.42 at the Irish National Winter Championships.
Now Wiffen can look forward to competing in front of a friendly crowd at the Under-23 meet while also looking to inspire onlooking youngsters as he told LEN:
“It’s going to be a nice home championships for me and I will be there competing straight after the World Championships.
“I’ve already been told so many people are going to come to watch me, so I’m really looking forward to that home crowd.”
Wiffen will be among around 600 athletes from over 40 nations due to enter the three-day competition which comprises more than 300 races.
It’s an open event with non-LEN member federations permitted to enter swimmers with the USA having confirmed they will send a team.
European governing body LEN have confirmed that a total prize fund of €5000 will be available, €2500 for women and €2500 for men, which will be awarded to the ‘best performances’ at Dublin 2023.
This will be decided according to the World Aquatics points system.
The first race will be the women’s 50m breaststroke with the mixed 4×100 free concluding the competition following the men’s 800 free – replete with Wiffen – which is the final individual race of the three-day meet.
It’s the first major competition to be held in Ireland since the 2003 European short-course which featured the likes of Pieter van den Hoogenband, Laszlo Cseh, Britta Steffen and Mel Marshall – now coach to Adam Peaty, Luke Greenbank and Anna Hopkin.
CEO of Swim Ireland Sarah Keane said:
“Swim Ireland is delighted to host the first ever European Under-23 Swimming Championships at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre in Dublin and I am honoured to invite you all to Ireland.
“It is 20 years since Swim Ireland last hosted a major LEN swimming event, the European Short Course Championships in 2003.
“This is a very exciting time for the sport of swimming in Ireland, and we believe we can deliver a truly memorable competition.”