800 metres Freestyle, Men

American Bobby Finke was the defending gold medalist in this event and the 1,500 metres, and was still considered formidable, having become known for his fast finishes. He was expected to be challenged by Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, the 2024 World Champion, and Elijah Winnington (AUS), who was second to Wiffen at the 2024 Worlds. Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, the 2020 silver medalist, was also a contender, and was competing at Paris in both pool and open water swimming, as he had in 2020.

Winnington took the early lead, holding it through 300 metres, but he would flag and finish last in the final. Wiffen moved into the lead at 400 metres and held it through 650 metres, when Paltrinieri pulled ahead, with Wiffen second and Finke third. Paltrinieri could not maintain the pace, as Wiffen finished strongly to win the gold medal. Finke put on his patented fast finish, recording 26.47 and 55.30 for the final 50 and 100, but he could not catch Wiffen, who finished in 26.94 and 55.33.

Wiffen finished in 7:38.19, winning by 0.56 seconds, in an Olympic record by over three seconds and with the sixth fastest performance of all-time. Paltrinieri held on for the bronze medal, his fourth Olympic medal. Finke and Paltrinieri would return in five days and also go 1-2 in the 1,500, in that order. Wiffen’s medal made him only the third Irish swimmer, and the first man, to win an Olympic medal, after Michelle Smith in 1996, and Mona McSharry only the day before, in the women’s 100 metre breaststroke.