Olympic Games: Wiffen wins gold to create history
He's the first athlete from Northern Ireland to win individual gold in 52 years
Daniel Wiffen produced a sensational performance to claim Olympic gold in Paris a short time ago.
In tonight's 800 metres Freestyle Final in Paris, the Magheralin man, produced a personal best and an Olympic recrod to take top spot in a scintillating race.
Wiffen produced the perfect race, taking the lead at the midway point, before comfortably fighting off the challenge of silver medallist Bobby Finke of the United States and Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri.
Wiffen finished in a time of 7:38.19, 0.56 in front of Fink and and 1.19 ahead of the Italian, who had briefly threatened in the final few lengths.
He becomes the first athlete from Northern Ireland to win an idividual gold since Lady Mary Peters in 1972 and the first gold of any kind from Northern Ireland since Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood were part of the GB Hockey team in Seoul 1988.
Having qualified quickest out of anyone in the heats, the 23-year-old went in as one of the favourites to take top spot, that allied with his gold at the same distance in the World Championships.
It comes after Mona McSharry took Team Ireland's first Olympic medal in the pool in 28 years last night, winning bronze in the Women's 100 metres breaststroke.
Wiffen still has two more events to come at the Games - the 1500 metres Freestyle, where he also picked up a World Championship gold earlier this year and the 10k swim, which is due to take place in the River Seine.
However, there are some doubts over that race, with the Men's Triathlon postponed today due to unclean water in the area.