Trailblazing swimmers Daniel Wiffen, Siobhan Haughey grab golds in Doha

DOHA – Daniel Wiffen became Ireland’s first swimming world champion when he stormed to the 800 metres freestyle title in Doha on Feb 14, while sprinter Siobhan Haughey grabbed a maiden world title for Hong Kong in the women’s 200m freestyle.

Wiffen snatched the lead from Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri at the last turn, then powered away to win in 7min 40.94sec.

The Irishman finished more than two seconds faster than Australia's runner-up Elijah Winnington, while Paltrinieri, the Olympic silver medallist at the Tokyo Games, faded to third.

Wiffen’s triumph came two months after he smashed Grant Hackett’s 15-year-old, short-course world record at the European championships.

Soaking up the cheers at the Aspire Dome pool, he made a phone gesture with his hand and slammed it down.

“Obviously the goal coming into this meet was to win a world medal and be on the top podium for Ireland,” said the bespectacled 22-year-old.

“It’s Ireland’s first ever medal at a world championship level... It’s just really cool to say and I’m really happy...

“I put a lot of pressure on myself anyway and I hoped I was going to do well at 800. But everybody who comes to the games is actually so cool, we are not going after each other but we are just in to see what is possible.”

With 2023’s world medallists from Fukuoka skipping the women’s 200m freestyle, Haughey felt the pressure to win and ultimately delivered in 1:54.89, nearly a second quicker than New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather.

“It means so much to me especially as the past few times, I’ve just missed out on the podium,” said Haughey, who won silver in the 100m and 200m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I’m the first (winner) from Hong Kong but hopefully there’s more to come in the future...

“I think the time could be a little better, but, at the end of the day, Paris is the goal. Hopefully I can learn something from this race, and we can work on these things so that by the time I get to Paris I’ll be ready.”

She later eased into the semi-finals of the 100m freestyle, qualifying third behind Australian Shayna Jack (53.50sec) and Fukuoka bronze medallist Marrit Steenbergen of Holland.

Another Tokyo runner-up celebrated a first world title in the men's 200m butterfly.

Japan’s Tomoru Honda gritted his teeth through an ankle injury to win in 1:53.88, holding off Italian runner-up Alberto Razzetti and Austria’s Martin Espernberger.

Honda suffered a fall in the lead-up to Doha and said that kicking was painful.

“I was icing my ankle the whole time,” he said. “It was so hard for me but I just told myself: ‘Keep moving, keep moving.

“So happy, I want to say thank you to everyone.”

In a match-up of second-string relay teams, the United States coasted to a dominant mixed medley gold in 3:40.22 ahead of Australia and Britain respectively.

On Feb 15, China’s Pan Zhanle won the men’s 100m freestyle title with a time of 47.53sec, 0.19sec ahead of Italian Alessandro Miressi with Hungarian Nandor Nemeth third.

The 19-year-old had set a new world record of 46.80sec on Feb 11 with a stunning lead-off swim as China won the freestyle relay.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s Quah Jing Wen could not get past the semi-final hurdle, finishing 10th overall in the women’s 200m butterfly in 2:10.31.

Her elder sister Ting Wen clocked 55.82sec in the women’s 100m freestyle heats for 22nd spot overall and did not advance.

Breaststroke specialist Letitia Sim made the semi-finals of the women’s 200m event after qualifying 10th fastest with 2:27.08 in the heats. REUTERS