Wiffen Eighth In 800m Final At World Championships

Olympic 800m freestyle champion Daniel Wiffen could not take sides his world title arsenic he vanished eighth successful nan last successful Singapore.

Wiffen, from Northern Ireland, started brightly and led aft 300 metres, but was soon reeled successful and faded arsenic nan title progressed.

Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi took nan golden badge pinch a clip of 7:36.88, up of nan German brace of Sven Schwartz and Lukas Martens.

Wiffen vanished past pinch a clip of 7:58.56 aft fading severely successful nan 2nd half of nan race.

He had spoken astir being diagnosed pinch a bout of appendicitis successful nan build-up to nan Worlds, and though he avoided surgery, he said he felt "really weak" aft scraping done to nan last arsenic nan past qualifier successful his his semi-final.

A twelvemonth to nan time since his Olympic triumph, Ireland swimmer Wiffen came retired of nan blocks accelerated and led nan title aft nan opening 100 metres, erstwhile he was connected world grounds gait from nan extracurricular lane.

He maintained his advantage astatine nan 300m mark, but was soon caught and passed by Jaouadi, Schwatrz, Martens and his American Olympic rival Bobby Finke.

The 24-year-old continued to autumn distant arsenic Jaouardi stretched his separator retired front, and Wiffen would yet travel location successful eighth spot - immoderate 22 seconds down nan Tunisian.

Jaouadi's clip was nan third-fastest ever successful nan subject aft a blistering last 400m.

Despite a disappointing defence of his 800m crown, Wiffen will effort to reclaim his 1500m freestyle title later successful nan championships.