Daniel Wiffen completed a brilliant British University Championships in Sheffield on Sunday, winning gold medals in the 400 and 800 metres to go with the 1,500m title he won on Friday. All three times were records for the event.
The Loughborough University student won the 1,500 just five days after completing his golden double in Doha last Sunday. He added the 800m by some distance, his winning time of 7:43.03 a meeting record and the third fastest of his career, after the 7:40.94 he clocked for his first gold medal last week.
By halfway, Wiffen was already eight seconds clear, second place going to his 19-year-old Loughborough team-mate Tyler Melbourne-Smith, who finished in 8:04.06.
Wiffen finished off the weekend with a third gold medal in the 400m free in another meeting record of 3:49.66.
Wiffen’s 1,500m win on Friday was also a meeting record, his winning time there of 14:42.05 the fourth fastest of his career, after the 22-year-old won that world title last Sunday in his lifetime best of 14:34.07.
Melbourne-Smith also won silver there in 15:30.73, with Wiffen’s twin brother Nathan also getting on the medal podium, finishing third in 15:54.37.
After these championships Wiffen, who is also studying for a degree in business management, will take a one-week break before heading away on a four-and-a-half week training block at the Wall Aquatic Centre in Northern Arizona University, which sits at an altitude of 2,100m, all geared towards reaching his season peak at the Paris Olympics come July.
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