After Bobby Finke Wins 1500M Gold, Team USA Wonders Why Other Male Swimmers Didn’t Do The Same

Bobby Finke dove into the water Sunday with 120 years of history on his back. Since 1904, an American male has won individual gold at the Olympics. But, down to their final event, no U.S. man stood at the top of the Parisian podium.

Finke put those worries to rest with a wire-to-wire world record-shattering 1500-meter freestyle on Sunday that tied the U.S. with the Australians in gold medals in the water before the women’s medley relay gave the Americans the win two races later. Finke held off Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri, who stayed within a body length for the duration of the race but could not keep up when the American began his kick in the final 200. He broke China’s Sun Yang record, which Yang set at the 2012 London Games.

Katie Ledecky, the best long-distance woman in swimming history, could be seen in the stands cheering on Finke as the swimmers train together in Gainesville, Florida, at the University of Florida practice facility.

Finke’s victory allows the American swimmers to leave France on a high after an up-and-down two weeks in the pool. Finke finished second in the men’s 800 a few days before the 1500, and that surprising loss motivated him to end his summer with gold. The team as a whole lost the 4X100 men’s individual medley relay for the first time in the event’s history, earning silver behind China.

Anthony Nesty, the U.S.A. swimming head coach, gave an honest review of the difficulty the men faced in the water.

“We have to go back and look at our preparation headed into the meet and be better,” he said.

Despite some disappointment, including swimming superstar Caleb Dressel’s failure to win an individual medal, the Americans still outclassed the other countries. The U.S. won ten more medals (28) than the following closest team and took gold in eight races, the most of any nation. Four years from now, the Americans will have a home-field advantage in Los Angeles, which should provide a boost.

But, the world is on their tail.