Double Olympic medallist Daniel Wiffen has donated his entire Olympic Legacy Fund – worth £25,000 (€29,700) – to his former school, St Patrick’s Grammar School in Armagh.
Wiffen was one of six athletes from Northern Ireland who collectively claimed seven medals at last summer’s Olympics in Paris. The medal haul included four golds, one silver, and two bronze in swimming, rowing and gymnastics.
Three of the medallists – Wiffen, Rhys McClenaghan and Philip Doyle – represented Team Ireland at the Games, while Hannah Scott, Jack McMillan and Rebecca Shorten competed for Team GB.
The £100,000 (€119,000) Olympic Medallist Fund is funded by Stormont’s Department for Communities and administered by Sport Northern Ireland.
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Each gold medal winner earned £20,000, while silver medallists received £10,000, and bronze medallists £5,000. Each athlete who won a medal was asked to select a club to receive their funding, with the money being used for equipment or to expand opportunities for people to participate in sport.
Wiffen, who won gold in the 800m freestyle and bronze in the 1,500m freestyle, put all his money towards the recent gym expansion at St Patrick’s, writing on social media: “Proud to donate my full £25,000 Olympic Legacy fund to @stpatsarmagh – the school that believed in me from the start. The new gym will support the next generation of Armagh athletes. Legacy isn’t just about medals – it’s about giving back.”
Principal at St Patrick’s Grammar Dominic Clarke said the funding has further cemented the Olympic champion’s legacy in the school.
“The fund that was given to us allowed us to fill those gaps with cardiovascular machinery, which was rowing machines, ski ergs, indoor bikes, and treadmills as well ... It’s a brilliant facility and it’s being well used.”
Recalling Daniel and his twin brother Nathan (who narrowly missed out on qualification for Paris but now has his sights set on LA) during their time at the school, Clarke added: “We all knew that they were very driven from a young age ... The boys were known for [swimming]; they just went about their business in school. There weren’t any airs or graces about them, they were just normal, likable lads.”
And on Daniel’s return to the school following his success in Paris, the 23-year-old showed his appreciation for the support he received from the community.
“When Daniel comes into the school he speaks to everybody. He came to the school with his two medals, and he says, ‘Hand those medals out to the kids, sure as long as somebody doesn’t go out the door with them!’,” Clarke recalled.
“He said: ‘I didn’t win the medals for me. The whole idea of winning a medal is that the whole community that was involved in it gets to see them,’ and that’s just him. He stood for hours getting photographs, talking to people.”
And yet the principal was diplomatic in his response as to whether Daniel Wiffen is the school’s most successful sportsperson, an accolade for which there is fierce competition, as past pupils also include All-Ireland winners with Armagh, Tyrone and Derry – Oisin McConville, Sean Cavanagh and Cormac McAnallen – among them.
“I’d just be in awe of the whole lot of them,” Clarke said. “[Daniel]’s the only Olympic champion that I’m aware of that’s ever darkened the doors of this school, so he’s in a league of his own for an individual sport.”
Wiffen’s fellow Team Ireland gold medallist McClenaghan donated his £20,000 to the Origin Gymnastics club in his hometown, Newtownards.
“I feel like this grant gave me the responsibility to leave a legacy after my Olympic win,” said McClenaghan. “I couldn’t think of a better way to leave a legacy than to donate the money to the fastest-growing gymnastics club in the country, Origin Gymnastics.
“This will hopefully allow young gymnasts to follow in my footsteps and give them opportunities and equipment that I didn’t have growing up in this sport. Origin offers a sense of community in my hometown of Newtownards and gives everybody in the local area a true love for the sport of gymnastics.”
Doyle, who took bronze in the double sculls alongside Tipperary’s Daire Lynch, donated his £5,000 to Belfast Boat Club.
Hannah Scott (quadruple sculls, gold) picked Bann Rowing Club, Jack McMillan (4×200m freestyle, gold) chose Bangor Swimming Club, and Rebecca Shorten (coxless four, silver) opted for Methodist College Belfast Rowing Club.
Northern Ireland Minister for Sport Gordon Lyons added: “The incredible success of Daniel Wiffen, Rhys McClenaghan, Hannah Scott, Jack Milligan, Rebecca Shorten and Philip Doyle put Northern Ireland on the global stage.
“For a small nation, our athletes consistently punch above their weight, thanks to their dedication and sacrifices, and the unwavering support of coaches, school staff, families, and support teams.”
Wiffen is aiming for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in late July, where he’ll be chasing gold in both the 800m and 1,500m events.
