Daniel Wiffen Named BBC Sports Personality of the Year

Daniel Wiffen, a 23-year-old swimmer from Magheralin, has been awarded the 2024 BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year after a remarkable season. He made history by winning gold in the men's 800m freestyle and bronze in the 1500m freestyle at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first Irish male swimmer to win Olympic gold in 36 years. Wiffen set an Olympic record with a time of 7:38.19 during his gold medal performance. He expressed surprise and delight at receiving the award, calling it one of the biggest accolades in sport and sharing that he will enjoy celebrating with family over Christmas. Wiffen's achievements also included two gold medals at the World Championships earlier in 2024, solidifying his status as a top swimmer. His success highlights a standout year for Northern Irish athletes, who collectively earned six Olympic medals in Paris.