Ellen Walshe of Team Ireland in action during the women's 200m individual medley heats at the Paris La Défense Arena during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. Photo by Ian MacNicol/Sportsfile
“I was sitting in the call room and there were a ton of them on 2:11 (entry time). I knew it was going to have to be a big swim this morning. I’m delighted to come back and race again tonight.”
The two-time Olympian continued, “It’s probably one of the most stacked events for the women here; everyone is nearly on the same level. It’s going to be a great race tonight, and it’s anyone’s game to be top-8. I’m delighted to go out there again tonight for the semi-final and hopefully do something a little bit better than this morning.”
Speaking on the success of the swim team this week, Walshe added, “I’m rooming with an Olympic bronze medallist; it’s absolutely mad. It was a privilege to be there to watch both of the races. We could not ask for more from the team.
“Everyone who has raced individually has gotten a second swim, which just shows its progress the whole way through, not just at the top.
“We have all brought each other through this week, and we’re not finished yet. It’s extremely exciting where Irish swimming is at the moment.”
A Day of Thrills for Irish Swimming
On what could be a momentous day for Irish swimming, things started off in spectacular fashion at La Defense Arena as Ellen Walshe and Daniel Wiffen advanced to Olympic finals and Danielle Hill qualified for the semi-finals of the 100m backstroke.
Wiffen underlined his potential to become the first Irishman in history to win an Olympic medal by dominating his heat of the 800m freestyle, the reigning world champion looking imperious as he coasted to victory in 7:41.53, the quickest qualifier from all four heats.
Wiffen's Dominant Display
It was the third quickest time of Wiffen’s career, and just 0.25 shy of the Olympic record. What’s more ominous for his rivals: he was keeping something in reserve. “It wasn’t at 100 percent,” he said. “We’ll go with 95. You didn’t see my legs come in at the end so that’s where (the extra bit) is, but I was holding a good pace and am happy with the morning swim.”
Wiffen said there was “no significance” to having the fastest qualifying time but he’s “got a great lane to look around” as a result. “Any lane has a chance. I’ll be doing my homework tonight, see how everybody swims it, making sure I’ll be one of the best there tomorrow night.”
The 23-year-old Armagh swimmer went out in conservative fashion, hitting 200m in third but by halfway he had closed right up on early leader Elijah Winnington of Australia, with Wiffen then surging to the front and pulling clear in the third quarter.
“The time didn’t surprise me at all, I actually thought I’d be a little bit faster,” he said. “I was only off an Olympic record and no Irishman or woman has ever done that so that would have been pretty cool, but we’ll save that for tomorrow night. I don’t know some of the names in the final, I’ll need to look out for them, I’m not going to make the mistake in the 400m final in 2021 when some of them won from outside lanes.”
Wiffen said this is “100 percent” the fittest he’s ever been and given that, what is his goal for the final? “Any medal is good, it’s my first race here, my first time being in contention for an Olympic medal. So I’ll take any medal, whatever colour.”
But on the evidence of this, it could well be gold, something only nine Irish athletes have ever achieved in 100 years of Ireland competing at the Games, and something only Michelle Smith – who later served a doping ban – has achieved in swimming.
Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi was the second quickest qualifier for the final with 7:42.07 while US star Bobby Finke was only third in his heat, advancing after clocking 7:43.00. Wiffen’s final at 8.02pm Irish time tomorrow night.
Walshe’s Historic Qualification
Elsewhere, Walshe produced a stunning performance to finish fourth in her heat of the 400m individual medley, the 22-year-old Dubliner clocking 4:39.97 to place seventh overall and secure a place in her first Olympic final tonight. “It was probably a bit of a shock,” she said. “Once I saw (the qualification) it was such a relief. The time left my head, which I wasn’t too over the moon with. I’ve got another chance to have another go at this tonight.”
Walshe came through powerfully over the latter half to finish fourth behind Canadian star Summer McIntosh, who clocked 4:37.35. “I tried to take out the fly strong and it wasn’t quite there this morning, then my backstroke is probably my weakest stroke,” she said. “I knew with 200m to go, you could see the middle of the field and I said, ‘Okay, I just have to turn on the gears and fight.’ I had a strong back end and I’m absolutely delighted to get into the final.”
Walshe said she had “a tonne of family and friends” in the stands and so she “wanted to put on some kind of show.” She will return to the Olympic village for the afternoon where she is rooming with Mona McSharry, the two both set to swim in finals tonight. The 400m individual medley final is at 7.30pm Irish time with the women’s 100m breaststroke final at 8.25pm.
“She came back at all hours this morning and we joked about us hopefully being in the final tonight and I’m so glad I can join her,” said Walshe. “We can do the exact same thing again tonight. I’m super excited.”
Hill's Resilience
Elsewhere, Danielle Hill advanced to tonight’s semi-finals of the 100m backstroke after finishing fourth in her heat in 1:00.41, the 24-year-old Antrim swimmer securing the 16th and last qualifying spot.
“We’ve done job one, now I’ve got to reset and see what I can do tonight,” said Hill. “I’m happy but there’s a big job still left to do. I’m happy with how I put it together, the stuff that we’ve been working on is there and now tonight I’ve got to utilise what I’ve always had. I hope there’s another gear.”
Walshe's Historic Final
ELLEN WALSHE has finished eighth in this evening’s 400m Individual Medley final.
The 22-year-old from Templeogue was competing in her first Olympic final.
Walshe will be slightly disappointed at not matching her best time of 4:37.18 but can take heart from a terrific achievement in getting to this stage.
The Irish star finished with a time of 4:40.70.
The race was won by Canada’s Summer McIntosh (4:27.71), with US duo Katie Grimes (4:33.40) and Emma Weyant (4:34.93) taking silver and bronze respectively.
“I’m an Olympic finalist, not many people are able to say that,” Walshe told reporters.
“I would have liked a stronger swim tonight. I thought I had a little bit more in me than this morning but I think I tried to race the race beside me [rather] than my own race so probably paid for it a little bit.
“It does take a massive toll on your body but I didn’t think I was the strongest in some areas in this morning’s [race] so I thought I could have executed that tonight. But yeah, it wasn’t exactly what I hoped for but it’s an Olympic final, so I’m delighted.
“I think an IM race can be raced in so many different ways and my stronger stroke is the butterfly and I think I needed to take that out strong and I think I’ve been pulling back on that and only recently in the last couple of months I learned that I need to take it out hard and – obviously – when you come to a massive meet like this, nerves kick in and all sorts of things.
“And I think when you probably do try to get out a little bit stronger, you kind of nearly fear that you won’t be able to finish it. But probably if I stuck to my own race timing, maybe I would have been able to go a bit quicker.”
A Night of Ups and Downs
Meanwhile, there was disappointment for Danielle Hill in the semi-finals of the 100m Backstroke semi-finals.
Hill finished eighth with a time of 1.00.80, well off the Irish record of 59.11.
The race was won by USA’s Regan Smith with a time of 57.97.
Canadian duo Kylie Masse (58.82) and Ingrid Wilm (59.10) were second and third respectively.
“A little bit disappointed with the time,” Hill told RTÉ afterwards.
“I know my best can get me through another round.
“It’s my first semi-final. I cannot be disappointed. Of course, I can be annoyed at the time.
“But I’m an Olympic semi-finalist.
“When I step back and look at it, I’ll be proud of what I’ve done.
“The old me would have been in tears right now, but I can’t control that scoreboard.”
Hill is not done yet as she still has the 4x100m Freestyle Relay (27 July) and the 50m Freestyle (3 August) to come.
Earlier, Walshe and Daniel Wiffen advanced to the 400m Individual Medley and 800m Freestyle finals at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Danielle Hill also progressed from the 100m Backstroke heats this morning.
Wiffen cruised to victory and prevailed as the fastest qualifier in 7:41.53 — just off the Olympic record.
Walshe finished fourth in her heat — and seventh overall — in a time of 4:39.97.
The Dubliner was up first. She produced a superb swim, with her freestyle leg particularly impressive. Walshe opened her Games in the 100m Butterfly on Saturday, where she fell short of a semi-final spot, but the Individual Medley is the Irish record holder’s favoured event.
“I tried to take out the fly strong, I don’t think it was quite there this morning,” Walshe told reporters afterwards. “I thought, ‘Oh no, we have a long way to go.’
“The backstroke is probably my weakest stroke, I knew I had 200 to go, I could see the middle of the field and thought, ‘Okay, I just need to turn on the gears and fight.’ I had a strong finish and I am delighted to go into the final tonight.
“I need to go out there and enjoy it and if I can be in or around my best that would be amazing for me,” she added. “It would be great to come out of these Olympics with a PB and a new national record.”
Hill, meanwhile, clocked 1:00.40 to finish fourth in her heat and 16th overall.
Daniel Wiffen in action this morning. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Wiffen was the last Irish swimmer in action in the morning session. The world champion produced a controlled performance from Lane 5: he was third early on before moving through the gears and taking second after a superb turn at the 300m mark.
The two-time Olympian claimed the lead just after the halfway mark and never looked back as he made an early statement of intent ahead of tomorrow night’s final.
- Additional reporting from Gavin Cooney, Sinead O’Carroll and Paul Fennessy
