"I'm extremely disappointed"- Irish swimmer Daniel Wiffen on missing out on opportunity to be flag bearer at Paris Olympics after rushing to hospital

Daniel Wiffen, the Irish swimmer who swept the 800m freestyle gold and 1500m freestyle bronze at his maiden Olympic appearance in Paris, expressed disappointment over missing out on the opportunity of being the flag-bearer at the Olympic closing ceremony. After participating in the 10km marathon swim in Seine, he pulled out because of his ill health.

Daniel Wiffen, 23, had a stellar career trajectory since 2023 when he won three titles in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle events at the European Short Course Swimming Championships. The same year, he competed in his maiden World Championships edition in Doha, winning the 800m and 1500m freestyle events to become the first male Irish swimmer to become world champion.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he set the Olympic record of f 7:38.19 in the 800m freestyle besides winning the 1500m freestyle bronze. For his impressive accomplishments in Paris, he was selected as the Irish flag-bearer in the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Games.

But following his 10km swim in the Seine River, he fell ill and missed out on the prized opportunity. He penned a note to express disappointment but mentioned that he was excited to connect with his close ones at home.

"Thanks everyone who reached out, I’m incredibly disappointed to miss out on the opportunity to be flag bearer last night. Yesterday I rushed to hospital as I was very unwell with a bug that I am being treated for, and am feeling better now. I hope everyone enjoys the evening and I hope to be well enough to seeing everyone when we get home."

Swimming bronze medalist Mona McSharry and double Olympic champion Fintan McCarthy replaced Wiffen as flag-bearers in the opening ceremony.

Daniel Wiffen - "I'm an Olympic open-water swimmer"

Daniel Wiffen qualified for 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle at the 2024 Olympics but looked past the 400m to focus on the 10km open-water swimming in Seine. With the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and Grand Palais, 30 swimmers hit the waters to partake in a marathon.

Daniel Wiffen raced in the marathon, unlike his usual swimming events, for the first time. Though he fell away from the leading pack, he thought that completing the race would be a testament to a lot of willpower.

"In the pool it is easy when there are eight people in a final, and there are about 30 people in it here. I was about two minutes down from the front of the pack. I was like 'do I really want to finish?', but I needed to finish it and I'm glad to say I'm an Olympic open-water swimmer," Wiffen said. (via BBC)

He placed 18th in the open-water swimming and wanted to carry the Irish flag. In the wake of his upset, McSharry and McCarthy did the honors.