How did Bobby Finke set world record in men’s 1500m freestyle?

In a dramatic turn of events on Sunday in Paris, the USA swimming team was on the brink of ending a 120-year streak without an individual gold medal. They needed a standout performance, and Bobby Finke delivered just that.

Before the final race, the U.S. men had been struggling, having missed out on gold in all 13 previous individual swimming events. This meant that if Finke didn’t win gold in the 1500-meter freestyle, it would have marked the first time since 1900 that the U.S. men had gone without an individual gold medal in swimming.

Finke wasn’t guaranteed victory. He faced strong competition from Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, who was seen as a top contender, and Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, who posed a significant threat right from the start.

Despite the fierce competition, Finke took the lead early in the race and maintained it throughout. He surged ahead in the final 50 meters, finishing comfortably and securing the gold medal while also setting a new world record.

 

Bobby Finke’s World Record Performance

Finke clocked in at 14:30.67 for the 1500-meter freestyle, breaking the previous world record of 14:31.02 set by Sun Yang at the 2012 Olympics. From the very beginning, Finke established a small lead and held onto it, even as Paltrinieri closed the gap at one point. However, Finke pulled ahead again, finishing with a lead of over five meters in the final stretch, which secured his world record.

At 24 years old, Finke had already made a mark by winning gold in both the 800-meter and 1500-meter events at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago. Despite losing a silver medal in the 800-meter to Wiffen in Paris, many still saw Wiffen as the favorite for the 1500-meter. Finke proved them wrong, leaving Wiffen far behind in third place.

In Tokyo, Finke had won the 1500-meter with a time of 14:39.65, and his latest performance shows just how far he’s come since then.