According to the Florida Swimming LSC, U.S. World Championship Team member Robert Finke battled a “102+ fever” in the days leading up to his swim in Budapest.
Finke, the youngest male member of Team USA at this year’s World Championships, swam to a 21st-place finish on Saturday morning in prelims of the 1500 free. The top 8 advance to the final, so that will be his only swim of the meet.
Finke’s 15:15.15 was about 14 seconds slower than he went at U.S. Nationals almost exactly a month ago, and according to a Tweet from his home LSC in Florida, illness was at least in part a factor:
Robert Finke finally back in the water. Two days of 102+ fever and 5 pounds lighter. Finally back in the water. pic.twitter.com/HSmxxqtuYf
— Florida Swimming LSC (@FloridaSwimLSC) July 24, 2017
A 102-degree fever is considered “intermediate grade” for adults. The weight loss can be particularly damaging, as such a drastic weight loss during illness can bring both dehydration and muscle weakening.
In spite of the illness and subsequent time add, no swimmer younger than Finke finished higher than the 17-year old Finke in the 1500 on Saturday morning. The USA won’t have any finalists in the event – the other American entrant True Sweetser finished 16th in 15:07.38.
Hey that’s my speedo…
Considering the circumstances,Robert did well just to compete.
Look at Sun Yang, a DNS for no good reason.
We’ll be seeing more of Robert in the future.
His resume has not suffered at all. Would’ve been VERY tough to crack into that Top 8 in an AM swim anyways.
His future is wide open, and will be a good one.
I’m so sad for him. All his training & hard work & then to get so sick when it really counts. Coaches probably should not have even let him swim the grueling event when his body was so weak.
First off, the USA Swimming Doctors cleared him for competition. He might have been half dead, but TEAM USA isn’t a NO SHOW, when you are only half dead. Coach Troy did a fantastic job at getting him ready to compete against the best in the world. Robert is young and this experience will be positive motivation for the future.
Thanks for the news. Too bad for him. 15.15 in these conditions is great. He’s the future of American men’s distance swimming.