Olympic boost for Daniel Wiffen as big rival will miss Paris
Daniel Wiffen is a major medal prospect for the Paris Olympics.
Daniel Wiffen’s chances of securing a historic Olympic medal in swimming in Paris has been boosted with the revelation that one of his biggest rivals will miss the Games.
Defending 400m freestyle swimming champion Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia, who won the 800m/1500m double at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in December 2023, has announced that he will not compete in Paris according to Africa Aquatics, citing the head of the Tunisian Olympic Committee Mehrez Bousyan.
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Hafnaoui (21) was among the favourites to defend the 400m freestyle and was also viewed as a contender for medals in the 800m and 1500m.
However, at the 2024 World championships in Qatar in February where Wiffen won the two distance events, Hafnaoui failed to perform.
He was 17th in the 400m, 18th in the 800m and 17th in the 1500m. He has not competed since.
Two of Wiffen’s other likely rivals in Paris, Bobby Finke (USA) and Sam Short (Australia), who filled podium positions behind Hafnaoui at the 2023 World championships in Fukuoka, did not compete in Doha either.
Italian veteran Gregoria Paltrinieri, who holds the European record in the 1500m, and missed out on the final in Doha by one place, remains a big threat.
Still, Wiffen – who finished seventh in the 400m freestyle final – was the star male performer in Doha and was named Best Male Swimmer.
He won the 800m in 7:40.94, two seconds clear of the next best and he was ten seconds clear of the field in the 1500m final in 14:34.07, moving him up to fifth in the all-time ranking list. He won $40,000 (€37,310) in prize money and helped Ireland finish tenth in the medals table.
