Jack McMillan is back on the international podium, but this time as an individual medal winner! The man from Belfast threw down his mark on the European stage by winning gold in the 400m Freestyle in an impressive time of 3:36.33 – another lifetime best. Following closely behind, Daniel Wiffen is back on an international podium for the first time since the Paris Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal in the same event. Later in the evening, Ellie McCartney advanced to the 100m Breaststroke Final on the opening night of racing at the European Aquatics Championships (25m) in Lublin, Poland.
Hearing from Jack McMillan after claiming gold, he shared the following – “Yeah, it was pretty good! It just gives me more confidence, the training I am doing is clearly working, so that’s good to know at the start of this block heading towards the 2028 Olympic Games. So I’ll be going to the Commonwealth Games next year.”
After being asked if this result was about him becoming an individual performer after all his relay success he responded: “Yeah, yeah, totally. Obviously it’s great to be part of a team, that’s kind of why I transitioned to represent Great Britain. But now I want to find my own way and surge into a top two spot for individuals, especially going into the worlds and Olympics.”
McMillan will be back in the pool on Wednesday morning for the heats of the Men’s 200m Freestyle.
Daniel Wiffen put in an outstanding swim in the 400m Freestyle Final, sitting with the pack for the first 100m, he then made his move and led the race up to 300m, he was overtaken by Great Britain’s Jack McMillan, who won gold, at that point, while Olympic Champion in the 400m Freestyle Lucas Martens of Germany, just went ahead of Wiffen in the last 50 metres for silver.
Wiffen’s time of 3:37.02 was two hundredths of a second faster than his heat swim of 3:37.04, with Martens claiming the silver in 3:36.51.
A delighted Wiffen said ‘I’m going to say I’m really happy, you know taking that long out of the water and having that surgery process and then having to come back and be at my best again and all the stuff towards moving to California. It’s amazing to be back on the podium, I’m just a little bit gutted because I kind of died a bit, because I wanted it, I thought we may as well go for the World Record because we were so close. You know it was a great race, two Northern Irishmen on the podium.’
Looking back on a turbulent year, Wiffen commented ‘It’s amazing actually, all the stuff that’s happened, you know, you get that feeling when you’ve had surgery, am I ever going to get back to my best, and sure I was like a second over (my pb) then, but to be on the podium just gives me another boost in training. I actually don’t mind a bronze medal, I’ve got fourth place a couple of times and bronze is way nicer, but I’m so happy’.
The 24-year-old will be back in action on Wednesday in the heats of the 1500m Freestyle.
Ellie McCartney swam a huge personal best, dipping under 65 seconds for the first time in 1:04.75, to make the Final of the 100m Breaststroke. The National Centre (Limerick) swimmer, swimming in the first semi-final, was fifth and advances eighth overall to the Final.
Speaking after the race she said ‘I’m really happy with the time and I’m really happy as I’ve been struggling with the event this year, so to get it right, in the semi-finals, in order to make the Final, I’m really happy with it. I just love getting in and racing girls that are faster than me so I can chase them, so I think that really pushes me on and it helps to get pbs at the right time.’
McCartney will be back in the pool on Wednesday evening for the final of this event.