Waterboy Wiffin a splash hit in the pool

All it needed was for Daniel Wiffen to throw an orange-and-white flag around his shoulder after he’d swam to Olympic glory. In that way, he’d only be maintaining a trend that had begun the previous Sunday.

It’s been all about Armagh. First the footballers, and then a record-breaking swimmer. “I think I’ll tip down to Bessbrook and buy a Lotto ticket,” someone said. But you need luck to see your numbers come up. McGeeney’s team needed none of that at Croke Park, nor did Wiffen in Paris, two days later.

There was pressure on Wiffen as he lined up for the 800m Freestyle final. True, he had a world record to his credit, and won national, European and world titles.

But looming large was the Gold medal winner at Tokyo three years ago, American Bobby Finke. The pair were involved in an incredibly exciting finish, Wiffin hitting back after surrendering a lead he’d held at times over the 16-length course.

It was a victory that had bells and whistles attached – the first Gold to go to the north since Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood’s victory 36 years ago as part of the Great Britain hockey team, and the tenth for Ireland, going back to the first, Pat O’Callaghan’s 1928 win in the Hammer. Also, by spending just over seven minutes in action, Wiffin laid claim to Olympic, national and European records.

The win came after another stellar Irish performance in the pool. Mona McSharry had a shorter distance to swim than her colleague, needing speed more than stamina.

Had the 100m breaststroke been a horse race, the camera would have been out to decide the finishing order. The Sligo girl was two short-heads in third, giving her a well-deserved Bronze.

Wiffin is from Magherlin, which, like Poynzpass and others, Newry among them, straddles the Armagh/Down border.

The rivalry between these counties is keen, to say the least; but unlike the football the previous Sunday, this result would have won unanimous support for the new Olympic champion.

There was a time when it was said that the Games didn’t really start until the second week, when most athletics and boxing events would take centre stage.

Maybe, but at recent celebrations, Irish interest has taken in many of what were classed by some as the ‘peripheral’ sports. And there have been wins, most of them in the water.

The opening ceremony was something new. Instead of teams marching behind their flag-bearer in the main stadium, they were this time taken down the Seine in barges, all of them taking a lead from Greece, which is traditional.

No marks whatsoever to whoever designed the Irish uniform. Because he was carrying the Tricolour along with Sarah Lavin, Shane Lowry was most prominent, wearing what looked like a chef’s outfit.

It’s a safe bet that the best golfer to come out of Offaly likes his grub, but dressing him – and the others – like the one who prepares meals wouldn’t win those who stitched the gear together a place on the podium.