Daniel Wiffen named best male swimmer at World Aquatics Championships

Double world champion Daniel Wiffen's incredible week was capped off with the best male swimmer award at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha.

Ireland had never won a medal at the event heading into the 2024 series, but Wiffen ended the wait in the best possible fashion with gold in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events.

The Armagh man’s time of 14:34.07 in the 1500m was the fifth fastest ever recorded at that distance, while he is also just the fourth male swimmer to complete the double distance alongside Grant Hackett, Sun Yang and Ahmed Hafnaoui.

Sun, whose four-year, three-month doping ban ends in May, holds the world record in the 1500m event with a time of 14:31.02. Wiffen said after his second gold that it’s something he is aiming to break.

"It's definitely one of my goals to try and beat that at some point," he said.

"I'm only 22, I've got at least another eight years, another couple of Olympics in me. I'm sure it'll go at some stage and I hope to be the person to do it."

The best female swimmer award went to American Claire Curzan who produced an incredible week to take home four gold medals, a silver and a bronze.

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