Bobby Finke

Robert "Bobby" 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.

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.

On night 5 of the 2021 Olympic Trials, 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.

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.