DANIEL and Nathan Wiffen graduated from Loughborough University on Thursday with degrees in computer science.
It’s an amazing feat given the extensive daily training they’ve had to complete throughout their four years at the Leicestershire college.
Dad Jonathan shared this pic from their graduation day[/caption]
So it was understandable that dad Jonathan posted a message beaming with pride at his two high-achieving sons.
He tweeted: “These two keep us on our toes, but today is a very proud moment, when they have both graduated from Loughborough University in computer science. Congrats!”
Now that he has college out of the way, 800m freestyle Olympic champion is moving home to Northern Ireland where he will begin working under a new trainer.
While sharing this update around his swim career he insisted that it was a mutual decision between himself and long-time college coach Andi Manley.
Manley told him he needed the change now to achieve his goal of becoming a treble gold medal winner at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Wiffen said: “I am moving out of my house in Loughborough, so I’m definitely moving back to Ireland as my main training base.
“I will be doing stints in America. The Olympics are going to be there so you have to get ready for that way of life and time zone.
“Nathan is going to be there. You can only stay so far away from your twin you were born three minutes before so that’s what I’m going to do. I’ll be moving coach and it’s going to be hard.
“I only decided four weeks ago that I was going to be leaving Loughborough. It was maybe two weeks ago when we had the conversation.
“We’re really good friends and we chat all the time. He wants what’s best for me. He’s not a selfish coach and he’s not going to tell me to stay just for his own benefit.
“He thinks it’s beneficial for my career, that I need a new start because being in a university programme, you get 18-year-olds, 17-year-olds coming in every year who are a lot lower level than what I am at this point in my career.
“You want to strive to be better than the people . . . you want to train with somebody better than you though it’s hard to train with somebody better than an Olympic gold medallist.
“It’s trying to progress in other areas. A university programme probably isn’t the best place for me at this point in my career.”
LOFTIER TARGETS
Wiffen is unsure who will coach him but is happy to return to his Armagh base and work from there with support from Swim Ireland.
But having won over fans last year when he declared he would win an Olympic gold medal in Paris and then achieved the feat, he has even loftier goals for LA 2028.
He outlined: “The end goal is three gold medals at LA. I’m just training away and refining the skills right now.
“And then at the start of July I’m leaving for Malaysia for our pre-camp before the World Championships in Singapore in August.
“I’ve been told a couple of times by different world champions that the hardest world championships to win is the one after winning the Olympics.
“I’m up for the challenge. Obviously my goal is to stay undefeated in the 800 metres. I haven’t lost in the 800m freestyle since 2023.
“For me that’s the goal — just to keep undefeated and win another gold medal and then hopefully add that 400m and try to challenge it a bit more, and then for the 1500m.
“It’s to try and progress from that bronze medal and win the gold I won in Doha before.
“I would say we’re aiming for three gold medals. The 400m is maybe a bit of a stretch because it’s a new event, but definitely two.”
