Olympian McGeever lauds achievements of Wiffen and McSharry

By Thomas Conway

Finn McGeever would have given his left arm to have competed in La Défense Arena in Paris over the past ten days, but in the Ballina swimmer’s own words, this time it “wasn’t to be.”

Watching events in Paris from a distance was hard for the 2020 Olympian. The atmosphere there, in the City of Lights, was electric. In the aquatic centre there were many narratives: the exploits of rising French sensation Leon Marchant in front of his own home crowd; the continued dominance of American legend Katie Ledecky, now in her fourth games; and of course, the successes of Team Ireland - Daniel Wiffen and Mona McSharry, both of whom sent the nation to unprecedented heights.

McGeever knows both of them personally. He’s been with them in the pool, grown up training and competing alongside them, witnessed their development first-hand. Wiffen, in particular, was always a resolute competitor, but did McGeever see this coming. Certainly not.

“Did I think he was capable of becoming an Olympic champion? Honestly, no, not at all,” he admitted.

“But that’s what makes his story extra special, what makes it more impressive. He was talented, always, but that potential wasn’t evident when we were younger. He always had a big drive though, a real determination.”

Wiffen has etched his name into the history books as the first Irish swimmer to land gold since Michelle Smith in 1996. Smith’s triumphs were ultimately overshadowed by scandal two years later with the interference with a urine sample which led to a four-year ban and the end of her swimming career. There is an unspoken acceptance that her Olympic wins in Atlanta (3 gold and 1 bronze) were not legitimate.

But Wiffen’s most certainly was. His class as a ferocious distance swimmer was further confirmed by his third place finish in the 1500 metre final last Sunday. Many had predicted a double gold. That never transpired, but a bronze medal is still a cherished artefact, as McSharry will proudly tell you. Her display in the 100 metre breaststroke was sensational - the Sligo native snatched bronze in a nail-biting finish, endearing herself to the nation with her candid post-race interviews.

“Mona is lovely,” Finn added.

“She’s humble and modest, and I probably know her a bit better. So, when I saw her winning that bronze, like everyone else I was just delighted. You could see the young girl come out in her! It was lovely to watch.”

Tide turning

McGeever believes Paris 2024 could ultimately go down as a defining moment in the history of Irish swimming - the moment the country finally woke up to the sport and realised that Ireland could compete alongside the elites on the world stage.

He reflects on his experience in Tokyo fondly, but compared to Paris it was entirely different. Last week, the nation was glued to their television screens, watching every stroke, cheering every breath, living every race.

“How many more people actually watched the swimming this time around because of Daniel and Mona?” he added.

“Back when I was swimming in Tokyo, now it was brilliant to be there and all that, but really, we were just participating. Now we’re watching Irish people dominate, and that really is something special. It’s going to do huge things for the sport I think - inspire a whole new generation of swimmers.”

Finn McGeever still has his own Olympic ambitions. He was bitterly disappointed to miss out on qualifying for Paris, but he isn’t giving up. Right now, he’s in the middle of a well-earned rest period, allowing him to re-engage with his life outside of swimming. For much of the past year he worked part-time as a physics tutor at the University of Limerick, all while training at a near professional level.

The Ballina man has matured. He now has a broader outlook on life - it isn’t all about swimming. By the time the next Olympic Games take place in Los Angeles in 2028, the 23 year-old will be reaching peak development as an athlete. A lot can change in an Olympic cycle. He may well find himself in the mix for an Olympic berth.

For now, however, he’s happy to sit back and appreciate the growth of Irish swimming. The landscape has changed, dramatically, and the future is bright.

“Irish swimming has changed a lot in the past ten years, maybe even the past six or seven years especially,” Finn added. “Since John Rudd came in as High Performance Director, the whole of Swim Ireland has become quite a bit more professional. And obviously Daniel and Mona, the two swimmers that had success, are now training abroad. But they both came up through the Irish system, which shows that the structures are actually working.

“Looking forward, you’ll see Irish swimming progress a lot more. There are now three national centres in the country, in Limerick, Dublin and Bangor in Down, and they’re really important in terms of allowing athletes to develop. They provide top-notch training and have lifted the standard of swimming in the country up a whole lot more.

“The standard of Irish swimming is just rising. And it’s the whole squad as well, not just Daniel and Mona.”