Former Ireland team-mate Jordan Sloan believes double world champion Daniel Wiffen can inspire a new generation of swimmers to take to the pool.
The 22-year-old Magheralin native completed an incredible double in Doha, winning World Championship gold in both the 800m and the 1,500m Freestyle. Wiffen will hope to add an Olympic gold to his medal haul at this year’s summer games in Paris.
Former Commonwealth Games swimmer Sloan — who retired from competition last year — has seen first hand the impact Wiffen’s success has had on young swimmers.
The Swim Ireland coach said: “Daniel is an inspiration.
“This last week, the kids I coach have been asking me questions about Dan. Did I know him, and what is he like?
“He’s already an icon for those young swimmers here in Northern Ireland, and he has the ability to attract to more kids to our sport.
“Ireland has produced top-class swimmers in the past, but he has the ability to take it to another level. Certainly on the men’s side, we’ve never had anyone who can smash world records and win world titles
“He has the ability to be a figurehead for swimming for years to come.
“Daniel is incredibly down to earth but still incredibly ambitious, which is a hard balance to strike.
“He’s a loveable character — he has a nice way about him. He was always good person to train with. I think everyone connected to swimming in Ireland is exceptionally happy to see him performing so well. It’s good for swimming, but he also deserves it.”
Sloan (30) is in no doubt that his former team-mate is just getting started. He is certain that the Co Armagh man will be even better in Paris this August than he was in Doha, as he fights to become the first ever Irishman to win Olympic gold in the pool.
Sloan said: “Daniel has every chance of doing something special in Paris.
“I’ve not talked to him about it directly, but from my own experience I’m sure his year is built around Paris. The World Championships are almost like a warm-up for the Olympics.
“His aim will be to peak in Paris — that’s scary when you consider how fast he was in Doha.
“He performed well in Tokyo three years ago in both the 800m and 1,500m (14th and 20th) but he has improved a lot since then.”
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Bangor man Sloan qualified for Tokyo, himself, as part of Ireland’s 4x100m metre relay team.
However, he suffered Olympic heartbreak when governing body FINA controversially rescinded the Irish team’s invited. A disillusioned Sloan decided to retire.
For this year, both the men’s and women’s Irish medley relay squads have qualified for Paris. But things are rarely straightforward in the world of swimming — the men’s quartet can only take their place in Paris if two of the relay team must also reach the individual qualifying time.
The women are already certain of spot in Paris as Ards star Victoria Catterson and Larne’s Danielle Hill have attained the individual qualifying time.
Sloan said: “I’m delighted that both the men and women’s relay team have reached the qualifying time.
“The women are already there for certain, and I’m sure the men will get over the line. Irish swimming is in a great place at the moment.”
Reflecting on his incredible performance in Doha, Sloan’s old team-mate Wiffen said “I’m just so happy to come away with a personal best and two world titles.
“I’m so happy because after recording a personal best in Stockholm in April, some might have thought that was a fluke.
“I was talking about it before with my coach Andi (Manley), and we had a little bet as well going on about if I was going to PB or not. He said the race plan was to go out a bit faster than everybody else really focus on what I was going to do.
“I’m only 22, I’ve got another eight years at least, another couple of Olympics in. I hope to be the person to break the world record.”