Bobby Finke is a two-time Olympic gold medalist from the 2020 Olympic Games and 2022 World Champion. As a Florida Gator, Finke was a 4x SEC champion and a 3x NCAA champion.
Background
Robert Christian Finke was born in Tampa, Florida on November 6, 1999. Swimming is truly a family affair for the Finkes, as Mom, Jeanne, swam for Ball State and Father, Joe, is a swim coach with St Pete Aquatics. Finke has two older sisters: Autumn Skye Finke who swam for the University of Florida and Ariel Summer Finke who swims for Florida State University. All three kids qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials.
Early Success
As a 14 year old age grouper, Finke broke the Florida Age Group State Championships (Flags) 800m freestyle meet record with a time of 8:25.20, And then broke the 1500m freestyle meet record dropping over 15 seconds to race to a 15:56.82.
Finke won the USA Swimming Open Water Junior Nationals by finishing first of all swimmers 18 years old and younger. Additionally, because everyone swims at once, Finke was seventh overall in a field that included the pro open water swimmers as well as collegiate swimmers.
Finke was ranked as the #7 recruit in SwimSwam’s Way Too Early NCAA Recruit Ranks for the class of 2018, and #12 in the Re-rank. On October 13, 2017, Finke announced his verbal commitment to swim at the University of Florida.
College (Florida)
2018-2019
Finke was an immediate impact athlete for Florida. At the 2019 SEC Championships, he started things by placing 9th and winning the B-heat in the 500 free (4:14.86). The next night, he led a 1-2-3 Gator sweep in the 400 IM, taking the crown in 3:40.94. To cap off his meet, he led a 1-2 finish in the 1,650 with teammate and fellow freshman Trey Freeman, touching at 14:23.01 to break the SEC Championships and pool record.
At the NCAA Championships, Finke finished 12th in the 1,650 (14:42.75), 25th in the 400 IM (3:45.40), and 43rd in the 500 free (4:20.14).
2019-2020
Finke won the mile as a freshman at SEC’s with a new SEC Record, narrowly missing the NCAA Record in the process. After he smashed his best in the 500 free (4:10.8) to take bronze on Wednesday, the 1650 free record was on notice. He blew away the field to become the fastest man in history, repeating as champion in 14:12.08.
FINKE’S NCAA, U.S. Open and American Record 1650 splits – 14:12.08 – Feb 22, 2020, SEC Champs
| 49.17 | 49.17 |
| 1:40.44 | 51.27 |
| 2:32.04 | 51.6 |
| 3:23.68 | 51.64 |
| 4:15.28 | 51.60 |
| 5:07.19 | 51.91 |
| 5:58.91 | 51.72 |
| 6:50.85 | 51.94 |
| 7:42.88 | 52.03 |
| 8:34.63 | 52.75 |
| 9:26.87 | 52.24 |
| 10:18.80 | 51.93 |
| 11:10.88 | 52.08 |
| 12:03.00 | 52.12 |
| 12:55.07 | 52.07 |
| 13:46.99 | 51.92 |
| 14:12 | 25.09 |
2020-2021
During his junior year at the SEC Championships, Finke placed 5th in the 500 free (4:13.48), 2nd in the 400 IM (3:39.15), and defended his title in the 1650, nearly breaking his record from the year prior with a 14:12.18.
At the 2021 NCAA Championships, Finke won the 400 IM (3:36.90) and 1650 (14:12.52). He also placed 6th in the 500 free (4:11.11) and swam on Florida’s 4th place 800 free relay.
2021-2022
During his senior season, Finke tested positive for COVID-19 just before the SEC Championships, rendering him out of competition.
At the 2022 NCAA Championships, Finke successfully defended his national title in the 1,650, winning in a time of 14:22.28. Finke also placed 10th in the 500 free (4:11.74) and 4th in the 400 IM (3:36.83).
Training with Katie Ledecky
In the fall of 2021, Katie Ledecky moved her training base down to Gainesville, meaning that both Olympic champions in the 800 and 1500 would be going head-to-head in practices. This is what one of those practices looked like:
National/International Competition
At the 2016 Orlando Arena Pro Swim Series, Finke qualified for the USA Olympic Trials in the 1500m freestyle with a time of 15:46.39 finishing 10th overall. He placed third in the 400IM racing to a 4:23.66, picking up an Olympic Trials cut in that event. He also finished 17th in the 400m freestyle clocking a 3:57.22.
2017 US Nationals/World Championship Trials
Finke qualified for his first World Championships after he won the silver medal in the 1,500 meter freestyle. He swam a new best time of 15:01.31 to secure his place on the roster. At the world championships, Finke placed 21st overall in the 1,500 free at 15:15.15.
2018 U.S. National Championships
Finke was the runnerup in the 1500 freestyle (14:55.34) and third in the 800 freestyle (7:51.45) at the Phillips 66 National Championships, recording personal bests in both events. He also finished first in the B final of the 400 IM (4:15.79, ninth overall) and 17th in the 400 freestyle (personal best 3:52.25).
2018 Pan Pacific Championships
Finke swam a full schedule in Tokyo after qualifying for Pan Pacs. He placed 3rd in the 1,500 with a time of 14:48.70, however since he finished behind 2 other Americans, was not awarded a medal. He also finished 5th in the 800 free (7:52.57) and 8th in prelims in the 400 free (3:51.23).
2019 Summer Nationals
After initially qualifying for World University Games, Finke pulled out due to a wrist injury. He did, however, compete at the 2019 US Nationals. He won titles in the 1,500 (14:51.15), 400 IM (4:13.15), 800 free (7:47.58), and placed 3rd in the 400 free (3:48.17).
2021 Olympic Trials
On night 5, Finke touched 1st in the 800 free, qualifying for his first Olympic team. He added to his event schedule by winning the 1,500 on the final night of competition, cruising to a win in 14:46.06, beating the field by over 14 seconds.
2020 Olympic Games
Finke put an exclamation mark on his first Olympic final, winning the first-ever Olympic iteration of the men’s 800 free. Finke was running 5th for most of the race, even at the 750 mark. Then he turned on the jets, coming home in 26.3 and passing 4 competitors in the last 25 meters to touch first and earn Olympic gold.
Finke did it again in the 1500, sticking with the pack through the whole race and turning it on the last 50, coming home in 25.7 in the last 50 to touch first at 14:39.65, earning his 2nd gold of the Games and the first for USA in the 1500 since 1984.
2022 World Championship Trials
On night 1 in Greensboro, Finke qualified for his 2nd world champion team, winning the 1500 free in 14:45.72. 2 nights later, he placed 3rd in the 400 IM, going a PB of 4:10.57 and missing 2nd by just .07.
Finke finished the meet by winning the 800 easily, topping the field in 7:43.42
2022 World Championships
Finke started his campaign in Budapest with the 800 free, moving through the heats and qualifying 6th heading into the final. In the final, Finke used the same strategy he did in Tokyo, staying in range of the field for the first 750 meters, then blasting a 25.9 final 50 to pass 3 competitors and top the podium in an American record of 7:39.36.
Finke didn’t make it a clean sweep like he did in Tokyo, however. In the 1500 final, Greg Paltrinieri was out so far ahead of the field that Finke’s patented closing speed couldn’t even catch him. However, Finke did clock a huge personal best, 14:36.70, to touch just .24 ahead of Florian Wellbrock for silver and break Connor Jeager’s American record.
2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Finke had his best long course meet on US soil yet as he swam his classic 800/1500 free and 400 IM lineup. He got his Worlds qualification out of the way with his 1500 on night 1. Finke cruised to a national title in 14:42.81, breaking the US Open record from 2008 set by Peter Vanderkaay in the process. As he seems to at most Nationals, he died a bit coming home as he closed his race with a 59.14 last 100, a far cry from what he is known to do at international meets. The swim, however, still had some great upsides as he split way faster over the back half than the last edition of trials.
In the 400 IM final, Finke was 2nd at the halfway point, over a second under his best time pace. He came home in a swift 56.91 to score his first-ever sub 4:10 400 IM. His last-leg heroics were not enough to make up for the big lead Chase Kalisz built up on the breast leg as he finished 3rd in 4:09.55
Unsurprisingly, Finke won the 800 free. Finke posted a time of 7:40.34 to break his own U.S. Open record by nearly three seconds. The previous record was a 7:43.32 which he clocked last year at the 2022 U.S. World Championship trials. He was significantly faster across the board compared to how he swam last year, highlighted by a 26.80 closing split. Finke was also less than a second off of his best time of 7:39.36, which he clocked to win gold at the 2022 World Championships and set the American record.
2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)
In the 800 free prelims, Finke was a controlled 7:43.87 for 5th. In the final, Finke lurked in 4th/5th with Dan Wiffen back from the leading pack of Ahmed Hafnaoui, Lukas Martens, and Sam Short for most of the race. He passed Wiffen at the 600 and caught Martens on the last 50 but his 26.79 was not enough to get the better of Short (silver) and Hafnaoui (Gold); Hafnaoui actually closed faster, in 26.24. Finke’s 7:38.67 was a new American record and kept him as #7 all-time as he passed Ian Thorpe and Gregorio Paltrinieri while Short and Hafnaoui moved to #4 and #3.
The 1500 free was perhaps the most anticipated race of the men’s side and even in prelims, Finke lived up to the hype. In the 1st circle seeded heat, Finke and Dan Wiffen were lockerd in a showdown as the two pushed eachother to a pair of 14:43s to lead prelims by 6 seconds. In the final, it was Sam Short out quick while Finke settled into his pace. By the 1000, Finke and Hafnaoui had overtaken Short and from there, the two only further separated from the field. The duo pushed eachether down the stretch as Finke clocked a 26.19 closing split but that was nto enough as Hafnaoui untouched Finke 14:31.54 to 14:31.59. Finke’s 14:31.59 represented a massive best of over 5 seconds and a new American record. His and Hafnaoui’s times represent the #3 and #2 times in history respectively.
2024 US Olympic Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
After showing some speed (for a distance swimmer) with a PB of 3:46.27 for 4th in the 400 free, Finke eased through the 800 free prelims with a season-best 7:51.71 for 2nd behind 18-year-old Luke Whitlock. All eyes were on Finke and Whitlock in the middle two lanes of the final as they created major separation on the field. Finke led wire-to-wire but Whitlock kept things close, and coming down the final lap, Finke’s bread and butter, it was actually Whitlock who made up ground, closing in 28.50 to gain 65 one-hundredths on him. Finke still won by .97 seconds with a 7:44.22 to Whitlock’s 7:45.19 to qualify for his 2nd Olympic Games.
In the 1500 free it was not a question of if Finke would win but how fast he would go. Finke powered away to win the event in 14:40.28, erasing his own U.S. Open Record. He set that mark at 14:42.81 during 2023 U.S. Nationals; later that summer in Fukuoka, he became the 3rd fastest performer in history (14:31.59), winning Worlds silver after an incredible race with Ahmed Hafnaoui.
