Irish Swimmer Nathan Wiffen Announces Verbal Commitment to University of California, Berkeley

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Irish swimmer Nathan Wiffen, 23, has introduced his verbal dedication to proceed his swimming and educational profession at Cal, the 8-time males’s NCAA Champions. He’s anticipated to obtain just one season of eligibility barring any waivers beginning fall 2025.

Wiffen stated on social media:

“So Excited to take the subsequent step in my Swimming & Educational profession on the College of Cal Berkeley. Thanks all who helped me via and to the method. GO BEARS!!!🐻”

Wiffen was just lately a two-time finalist on the European Aquatics Championships in June. He lowered his private greatest 800 free time that he set on the 2024 Irish Open right down to a 7:54.60, claiming eighth in finals. He soared to 4th within the 1500 free, beating out fifth place competitor Laci Galicz by 12.84 seconds.

He took residence two gold medals from the Irish Open and Olympic Trials LCM earlier this yr, taking residence the gold within the 800 free touching in 7:54.69, practically two seconds quicker than his greatest time. He led the warmth, ending six seconds forward of 2nd place finisher, his brother Daniel. Wiffen additionally took 1st within the 1500 free boasting a 15:06.48, a whopping 1:16.48 quicker than 2nd place. Wiffen additionally took residence gold within the 800 and 1500 on the 2023 Irish Open Championships. Between the 2 meets, Wiffen swam 9.1 seconds quicker within the 800 and 27.69 seconds quicker within the 1500.

Occasions (with Conversions):

LCM
SCM
SCY (Conversion from LCM)

200 free
1:53.41
1:47.81
1:38.36

400 free
3:54.65
3:43.69
4:21.17 (500y)

800 free
7:54.60
7:34.78
9:03.75 (1000y)

1500 free
15:06.48
14:38.75
14:52.63 (1650y)

Whereas Wiffen is undoubtedly a distance swimmer, he confirmed promise of versatility as a youthful swimmer. He competed at his first Irish Open in 2017, the place he took 1st within the 200 again amongst boys 18 and below whereas solely 14 years previous. On the 2018 Irish Open he took 1st within the 200 again and 4th within the 400 IM, and in 2019 he claimed 4th within the 200 again and ninth within the 200 fly. Wiffen debuted his distance abilities on the 2022 Irish Open after the occasion went on hiatus for 2 years as a result of Coronavirus pandemic. Wiffen swam to 1st within the 800 free and 2nd within the 200 free, whereas nonetheless putting 1st within the 200 again. It wasn’t till 2023 when Wiffen started to almost solely race within the distance occasions.

His velocity within the water makes him one in every of Eire and Nice Britain’s quickest racers, and a implausible addition to the Bears. He comes from a household line of nice distance swimmers, as his brother Daniel Wiffen notably took residence a gold within the 800 free and a bronze within the 1500 free on the Paris Olympics.

Daniel Wiffen stated that he had no updates to share about his future coaching plans however that he’s “blissful for his bro.” The 2 are very shut and create coaching vlogs collectively on their shared YouTube channel.

Cal has principally constructed its best-in-class NCAA program round sprinters, although they’ve had three Pac-12 champions within the 1650 free: Nick Norman in 2018 and 2019 and Zach Yeadon in 2021.

Wiffen will be a part of German sprinter Martin Wrede, Italian butterfly Matteo Palmisani, breaststroker Caiden Bowers, Dar Lavrenko, Ian Platts-Mills, and Kenneth Barnicle for the category of 2025. The boys make for a well-rounded crew that can proceed so as to add to the Bears’ success. The boys took 2nd on the NCAA Division I Championships earlier this yr, with sprinters Jack Alexy and Destin Lasco main the pack. The Bears lack an unique distance swimmer with the speeds of Wiffen, making him a precious addition to the crew.

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