Watch: Bobby Finke wins gold, breaks world record

Bobby Finke (USA) in the men’s 1,500-meter freestyle preliminary heats during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Paris La Défense Arena. Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Bobby Finke wins only American male swim gold of Paris Games, breaks world record

By Austen Bundy | Last updated Aug 4, 2024 1:28 PM ET

American distance swimmer Bobby Finke won the men's 1500 freestyle Sunday, marking Team USA's first and only gold in a male individual swimming event in Paris.

Finke led the race wire-to-wire and broke the world record, which had stood since the 2012 London Olympics.

Bobby does the unFINKEable!

Gold medal and WORLD RECORD in the 1500m freestyle!#ParisOlympics | NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/siCsTPEN8X
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 4, 2024

Finke's victory also marked the first time since 1996-2000 where a swimmer won the 1500 in back-to-back Olympics. He won gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

Katie Ledecky, Team USA's most notable distance swimmer, was seen maniacally cheering on Finke during the race.

Deranged Katie Ledecky cheering Bobby Finke’s 1500 win, wielding a cowbell like a weapon, is giving me life pic.twitter.com/rmwolR9Ub9
— Steve Cavendish (@scavendish) August 4, 2024

The long-distance race concluded the individual events at the Paris swim competition. Team USA ended up with five individual golds and 21 medals overall.

Austen Bundy

Austen Bundy is a journalist and sports junkie from the Washington, D. C. area

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