World and Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen has narrowly qualified for the final of the men’s 800m freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
The 24-year-old qualified eighth from Tuesday morning’s heats, the reigning champion in the event from the 2024 World Championships in Doha touching the wall in 7:46.36.
Wiffen finished fifth in heat two, leaving him with a nervous wait during the last remaining heat to see whether his time would be quick enough to progress. As the slowest qualifier, he will swim in lane eight in Wednesday’s final (12pm Irish time).
“Obviously pretty disappointed with the overall swim of the 800,” Wiffen said after the heat, “but we’ve got a lane, so we’ve got a chance to defend my title, and I’m going in with that mindset of that I can win this still, even though I’m eighth in.”
Having failed to qualify for the final of the men’s 400m freestyle on Sunday, he added: “I just feel really weak at the moment. I felt it in the 400m and then I felt it in the 800m free, so something’s going wrong, I just need to figure out what it is and then change it for tomorrow night’s final.”
Jack Cassin was also in the pool for Team Ireland on Tuesday, swimming a personal best of 1:57.04 in the heats of the men’s 200m butterfly.
The 21-year-old, making his World Championships debut, placed 20th overall, with only the top 16 proceeding to the semi-finals.
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“I’m definitely happy with that,” the Cork swimmer said after.
“It’s been a long season, so I’m kind of happy to drop some more time in that 200 ... Definitely have to refine some skills, see what I can work on for the next season, but it’s definitely motivated me now.”
Three Irish swimmers are in action on Wednesday. Danielle Hill kicks things off, racing in heat five of the women’s 50m backstroke (3.10am Irish time), followed by Ellen Walshe in the second heat of the women’s 200m butterfly (4.25am Irish time) and Evan Bailey in the eighth heat of the men’s 100m freestyle (3.40am Irish time).
The semi-finals in the three events will be held on Wednesday afternoon (Irish time).
