Armagh swimmer Daniel Wiffen has gained worldwide acclaim in recent days following his monumental Olympic Gold medal win in the 800m freestyle at the Paris 2024 games.
But did you know that before the Olympics, he played a part in a certain Emmy Award-winning frame series?
At the age of 11, Daniel, who engages in 'friendly' competition with his also extremely talented brother, Nathan, played a part in season seven of the HBO series; albeit not that memorable, it still made the final cut, with the Leeds-born Irish swimmer appearing in an infamous scene that anybody who has watched Game of Thrones is sure to remember!
Did you guess correctly? Yes, the 23-year-old appeared in the 'memorable' Red Wedding' scene when it was first shown on our screens almost 12 years ago.
In the Game of Thrones iconic scene in which Wiffen appears, Robb, Catelyn, and anyone else in their line of sight are all hit by the archers' arrows.
Lord Walder sips red wine as the remaining guests are stabbed and slashed.
Arya Stark sees Robb's direwolf, Grey Wind, killed by Frey's men; the slaughter also occurs in the soldier camps.
Lord Walder exhibits no mercy by the conclusion of 'The Rains of Castamere'. Roose finally stabs Robb in the chest and says, 'The Lannisters send their regards'.
It is definitely one of the more haunting Game of Thrones scenes for swimmer to have guests appear in when it comes to unforgettable moments, but in light of his amazing win at the Olympics, Daniel Wiffen not only has a new unforgettable moment in his mind but a new throne to sit on when it comes to the 'game' of 800m freestyle.
The 23-year-old took off from lane number four and was third at the 50-metre mark.
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There were strokes in place of swords, and there were no rival families with vendettas but a competitive field of world and Olympic medalists—a podium at an Olympics, not a throne.
After a race that left many with their hearts in their mouths—much like a scene from Game of Thrones—Wiffen emerged victorious after what felt like a fight to the death right up until the final 100 metres. As good things do, Ireland emerged victorious, with 23 Daniel Wiffen of Co Armagh taking the gold medal home for the Emerald Isle.
July 30, 2024: Gold Medalist Daniel Wiffen of Ireland during the medal ceremony after the Men's 800m Freestyle Final on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France. Credit: Getty Images
'It means everything. The whole country is behind me tonight,' Wiffen said to Olympic.com.
'I don’t normally cry. I was hoping no one would get to see that. It’s a special moment. I dreamed of this every day of my life,' he added. 'I’ve never heard that national anthem at the Olympics before, and it’s crazy to say that it was me standing on that podium.'
While we probably won't see Wiffen appearing in Game of Thrones any time soon, make sure and keep an eye out for this amazing talent in the future, as he takes the international swimming game by storm!
*This article was originally published on GeekIreland.ie.
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