Daniel Wiffen, Olympic winner and global record holder in the 800 metres freestyle hardly keeps anything secret, especially concerning his training schedule and events preparation. Quick to dismiss the typical Irish champions’ tendency to downplay success, Wiffen simply speaks his truth, as seen when he proudly reminded everyone at last week’s Olympics: “What’s my name? Daniel Wiffen, Olympic Champion!”
Unusual for top-level athletes, the 23-year old swim beauty is not fussed about keeping his routines hidden. Loughborough University, where he attends, revealed his day-to-day activities in a post-Olympics YouTube video. Notably, Wiffen’s day kicks off with an early alarm at 5:45 am, heading to the pool by 6:15 am, with an extended 8 kilometres swim session inclusive of dry land stretches, roughly equivalent to 160 laps in a 50-meter pool.
Post-training, he’s at the gym by 9 am, and back home by 10 am for a rest before heading for lunch at the Elite Athletic Centre (EAC). Skipping the normal athlete’s dedication to training, Wiffen blends into his university life, engaging in PlayStation games with fellow trainees and attending lectures between 2 pm – 4 pm as a Science student.
In the evenings, he’s back to the pool for more training between 6 pm – 8 pm, before winding up the day with dinner, and an early 9:30 pm bedtime. At this time, most of his uni mates are merely starting their evenings out. This sums up the life of the affable Wiffen, who chooses to openly share his life and training routine, a shift from the typical distraction-avoiding high-performing athletes in the sporting realm.
Daniel and his twin, Nathan, both of whom are established swimmers, manage a YouTube channel named the Wiffen Twins. Nathan is a proficient swimmer in his own realm and acts as Daniel’s biggest supporter. In a video detailing his preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic pre-camp, Daniel shares that his champion’s breakfast comprises two croissants, scrambled eggs, and four sausages. Another video demonstrates him rating a Five Guys burger, marking it eight out of ten.
They employ a GoPro in their swimming pool, intertwining videos of them engaging in training and leisure activities such as playing the video game Just Dance and interacting with young fans asking for autographs. One of Daniel’s well-received videos showcases the unveiling of Irish Olympic attire, featuring quick transitions between various outfits sported by Irish competitors. This video gained several hundred thousand views on TikTok.
The Wiffen family, which includes their father Jonathan, mother Rachel, elder brother Ben, and sisters Beth and Charlotte, participate in many collective activities, including social media. A picture of Daniel with his Olympic medal was shared by Jonathan on platform X, expressing gratitude for the support and affirming their pride in having an Olympic gold medallist son.
Daniel is yet to participate in the 1,500 metres event, where he appears set to clinch another Olympic title, following in the footsteps of athletes Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy. He also anticipates the 10 kilometre open swim.
Daniel’s vlogging journey continues as he says he has an abundance of videos to publish, his followers growing as his accomplishments expand.
Daniel’s daily regimen involves waking and breakfasting at 5.45 am, stretching and dry land work at 6.15 am, an 8km swim between 6.45 and 8.45am, a Powerbase gym session from 9 to 10 am, a nap from 11 am to noon, lunch from noon to 1 pm, gaming with teammates at 1 pm, and a lecture from 2 to 4 pm.
Training for swimming is set from half past five in the evening until eight in the evening. A meal is then scheduled from eight until nine. Bedtime is strictly at half past nine at night.