Roll up, roll up! Wiffen has an ability to negotiate that line between being a dreamer and realist. On his bedroom wall in Loughborough is a photo of the night sky from Tuesday, July 30, 2024 when he won gold in the 800m freestyle at the Paris Olympics. But he’s also moved on to new stargazing. Wiffen already has one world record with the 800m freestyle short-course record from December 2023. Now he wants to set another one at the National Aquatic Centre at the Irish Open which runs from April 12 to 16. He could earn a significant amount from doing it at a major championship, like this summer’s World Championships in Singapore, but he wants to do something special in front of a home audience. “Somebody was asking me why I would try to break the world record at the Irish Championships and not the World Championships where I can make $50,000, when I make nothing at the Irish Champs,” Wiffen said yesterday. “My answer to that was that the last time I swam fast in Ireland was at the U-23 Championships but the actual proper Irish Championships was 2021 for the Tokyo trials. So I have not swam a fast time in Ireland or a tapered race in Ireland in a very long time and that’s why I want to try to break this record in front of a home crowd. That’s what inspires me, inspiring the country. That’s what I am living by at the moment. “I’ve done a couple of meets, competitions, since I came back and I’ve been faster than I was this time last year. To me that screams that I’m in great shape.” Another difference this season from the Olympic year is that Wiffen has more control over his training at Loughborough where he’s coached by Andi Manley. He’s not training full-on in every single session – like he decided to do himself last year – and he’s also taking a cue from boxing. “This year I notice I'm a lot physically fitter, tests are showing it as well, that I actually listen to what I've been told,” Wiffen explained. “Gym work, everything is completely different. It’s more speed work, I don’t want to gain any more muscle. I like the weight I am at as well. So I am just trying to get faster doing the speed stuff in the gym and then nutrition has changed as well. I have changed a lot of things. “I didn’t realise that this was a thing until this year but people train a lot heavier than they race. Like boxing where they cut weight coming into competitions. I am actually trying it for Irish champs. My theory is that if I train 10 kilos heavier than when I race then it is like having a parachute on when I’m training. When I take all that weight off, I might lose some strength but I am going to keep a lot of it and I will be faster with it.” The Irish Open is also important because it’s off this that Wiffen says he will make a decision about his future. His options include staying at Loughborough or moving to California – where his twin Nathan will study from next season – and be a pro swimmer ahead of LA ’28. “I’m basically looking at these Irish trials, I’m looking at how I’m swimming, I’m looking at what I’ve improved in technical areas. And if I don’t think I’ve done enough and I don’t think I can get any further in Loughborough then I’ll probably consider a move. “I don’t think Nathan really cares if I go or not. Well that’s what he told me anyway. We’ll see if we break up or we don’t!”