BBC Sport NI's Nigel Ringland speaks to both Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan, the first athletes from Northern Ireland to win Olympic gold in 36 years.
Daniel Wiffen didn’t know who the previous Olympic champions from Northern Ireland were.Generations have come and gone since Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood won gold with the Team GB hockey squad 36 years ago in Seoul.
"Obviously, I wanted to qualify for the Olympics which was always the first step. Get one of them under your belt."I'm happy to say I've had a very good up-slope in terms of swimming," he added. He became the first male swimmer representing Team Ireland to win an Olympic medal as well as ending the long drought for an athlete from Northern Ireland to win a gold.The 1500m freestyle heats come up on Saturday with the final on Sunday."We're not done here. Yeah, I can't wait for the 1500m freestyle, it's my favourite event.
McMillan is based at the University of Stirling and trains alongside some of the very best Team GB swimmers, including his Olympic team-mate Duncan Scott, so the switch made sense.His job was to make sure the men's 4x200m freestyle relay team reached the final while Scott and individual silver medallist Matt Richards were either rested or were swimming other events in the morning.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Paris: 2024: Daniel Wiffen targets more Olympic medals after historic nightBBC Sport NI's Nigel Ringland speaks to both Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan, the first athletes from Northern Ireland to win Olympic gold in 36 years.
Read more »
Daniel Wiffen: 'I'm so proud of him' - Olympic champion's family react to historic goldThe family of Daniel Wiffen tell BBC Sport NI about their pride after the 23-year-old won the 800m freestyle final in Paris.
Read more »
Daniel Wiffen: 'I'm so proud of him' - Olympic champion's family react to historic goldThe family of Daniel Wiffen tell BBC Sport NI about their pride after the 23-year-old won the 800m freestyle final in Paris.
Read more »
World champion Daniel Wiffen confident of gold medal glory at Paris OlympicsWith his sights set on Olympic gold in the 800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle events in Paris, the 23-year-old claims that his main concern is whether he will compete in the 10km open water race in the Seine afterwards
Read more »
Olympics 2024: Daniel Wiffen wins swimming gold for Ireland with 800m freestyle victory in ParisDaniel Wiffen made history as he claimed Ireland's first Olympic gold medal of the Paris Games with a stunning victory in the men's 800m freestyle final.
Read more »
Paris Olympics 2024: Daniel Wiffen to swim open water 10kmDouble world champion Daniel Wiffen will swim in the open water 10km along with the 1500m and 800m freestyle at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Read more »