Florida Man Sets 1,500 Freestyle World Record on Final Night of Olympic Swimming
We do so many Florida Man stories here, it’s nice to do a good one. Just one, then we’ll get back to stories like “Florida Mom Drove A Screw Into Daughter’s Rear End“. I promise. A Clearwater, Florida man just set a world record on his final night of Olympic swimming. Talk about a closer. Nice work!
![Bobby Finke of Team United States competes in the Men's 1500m Freestyle Heats on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on August 03, 2024 in Nanterre, France.](https://espnswfl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/60/2024/08/GettyImages-2165077102_1722866650_.jpg?w=1024)
World Record Time
Bobby Finke, who graduated from Countryside High School in Clearwater, Florida, set a world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle Sunday. He finished the 1,500 in 14 minutes, 30.67 seconds. That was good enough to break the world record of 14.31.02 set by China’s Sun Yang at the 2012 London Games. The second place silver went to Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri nearly 4 seconds behind at 14.34.55. The bronze medal went to Daniel Wiffen of Ireland with a time of 14:39.63.
Who is Bobby Finke?
Bobby Finke’s swimming prowess is no fluke. His mother is Jeanne Finke who is also a swimmer having competed for Ball State. His dad, Joe Finke, is a coach at Saint Petersburg Aquatics. Finke has 2 older sisters, Autumn Skye and Ariel Summer. Both are also swimmers who have competed at the collegiate and national levels.
Along with being on his high school team, Bobby also swam for St. Petersburg Aquatics. Going into college, Finke had already achieved much success. He was ranked the No. 18-ranked recruit overall, and No. 1 swimmer in the state of Florida going into the 2018 school year.
![Robert Finke competes in heat 2 of the Men's 400 meter IM during the U.S. Open Championships at Selby Aquatic Center on November 13, 2020 in Sarasota, Florida.](https://espnswfl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/60/2024/08/GettyImages-1285977439_1722867990_.jpg?w=1024)
Finke then attended the University of Florida In Gainesville from 2018 to 2022. Along with winning just about everything possible in college, Finke also attended the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. According to his wikipedia page “Finke won the gold in the men’s 800m freestyle, setting a new American record with a time of 7:41.87.[9] He also placed first in the men’s 1500m freestyle with a time of 14:39:65,[10] making him the first American man to win the event since 1984.”
![Bobby Finke of Team United States celebrates after winning gold in a world record time in the Men's 1500m Freestyle Final on day nine of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on August 04, 2024 in Nanterre, France.](https://espnswfl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/60/2024/08/GettyImages-2165258721_1722867617_.jpg?w=1024)
Another Medal WINNING Performance
Along with his world record time in the 1,500 meter freestyle in the 2024 Olympics, Finke finished second in the Men’s 800m freestyle, winning an Olympic Silver Medal.