Daniel Wiffen and Siobhan Haughey make history in Doha
Daniel Wiffen became Ireland's first swimming world champion on Wednesday, winning the 800 metres freestyle in Doha, while Hong Kong sprinter Siobhan Haughey won her first world title in the women's 200m freestyle.
Wiffen hung back for the majority of the race, but took the lead from Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri at the final turn and raced away to win in seven minutes 40.94 seconds.
The Irishman finished more than two seconds ahead of Australia's runner-up, Elijah Winnington, while Paltrinieri, the Olympic silver medalist from the Tokyo Games, faded to third.
Wiffen's victory came two months after he broke Grant Hackett's 15-year-old short course world record at the European Championships.
Soaking up the cheers at the Aspire Dome pool, he made a phone gesture and slammed it down.
"Obviously the goal coming into this meet was to win a world medal and be on the top podium for Ireland," said the bespectacled 22-year-old.
"It's Ireland's first ever medal at a world championship level .... It's just really cool to say and I'm really happy."
With last year's world medalists from Fukuoka skipping the women's 200m freestyle, Haughey felt pressure to win the event, which she did in 1:54.89, nearly a second faster than New Zealand runner-up Erika Fairweather.
"It means so much to me especially as the past few times, I've just missed out on the podium," Haughey, who won silver in the 100m and 200m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics, told reporters.
"I'm the first (winner) from Hong Kong but hopefully there's more to come in the future."
Another Tokyo runner-up celebrated his first world title in the men's 200m butterfly.
Tomoru Honda of Japan fought through the pain of an ankle injury to win the event in 1:53.88, beating out Italian runner-up Alberto Razzetti and bronze medalist Martin Espernberger.
Honda suffered a fall in the lead-up to Doha and stated that kicking hurt.
"I was icing my ankle the whole time," he said.
"It was so hard for me but I just told myself: 'Keep moving, keep moving.'"
"So happy, I want to say thank you to everyone."
Australian Sam Williamson surprised everyone by winning the non-Olympic 50m breaststroke, beating out British world record holder Adam Peaty and 2023 Fukuoka runner-up Nic Fink.
Italy's Nicolo Martinenghi won silver, while Fink took bronze. Peaty, who won bronze in the 100m breaststroke on Monday, finished fourth and missed out on a second medal.
In a matchup of second-string relay teams, the United States cruised to mixed medley gold in 3:40.22, ahead of Australia and third-placed Britain.
Pan Zhanle of China, who set the 100m freestyle world record of 46.80 seconds on Sunday with a stunning lead-off swim in the relay, won the individual qualifying race on Thursday in 47.88.
Pan is in prime position to win his first individual world title, as world champion Kyle Chalmers, as well as Fukuoka minor medalists Jack Alexy and Maxime Grousset, are missing the event.
As the top seed in the men's 200 medley final on Thursday, American Carson Foster will also be looking for his first individual title.
SportsLigue