PARIS (AFP) - Swimmer Daniel Wiffen secured Ireland’s first gold medal of the Paris Olympics, setting a new Olympic record en route to victory in the men’s 800m freestyle final on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old surged home in the last 25 meters to touch the wall in seven minutes, 38.19 seconds, smashing Mykhailo Romanchuk’s previous Games record by more than three seconds.
American Bobby Finke took silver in 7:38.75 and Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri claimed bronze in 7:39.38 at La Defense Arena.
“I always knew it (a gold medal) was going to come, I didn’t know what event it was going to be in but I knew I was going to win one of them,” a confident Wiffen said after the race.
“For it to be my first event is even better. I don’t (know) how to sum it up, to be honest. Incredible.”
Australia’s Kaylee McKeown also established a new Games record as she won her second consecutive Olympic 100m backstroke title.
McKeown finished in 57.33 seconds, beating her own previous mark of 57.47 set in Tokyo three years ago. American world record holder Regan Smith took silver in 57.66 and her compatriot Katharine Berkoff claimed bronze in 57.98.