Robert Finke stunned the long-distance field by emerging as the new king of the 800m and 1500m free. The American didn’t have any outstanding result beforehand but now he offered two outstanding swims, and just like in the 800m free final, his devastating last 50m brought him a second gold here in Tokyo. What he did over the final leg well could be considered speeding in swimming terms – only to receive an Olympic gold for it, not a ticket.
The classic 30-lap event was an all-European affair both at the 2017 and 2019 FINA World Championships. Not only on the podium – the finals had eight swimmers from the Old Continent in Gwangju and seven in Budapest. In this latter event a certain Robert Finke was part of the show though didn’t leave a significant mark, apart from clocking a nice-looking time of 15:15.15 in the heats, which put the then 17-year-old to the 21st place.
In the previews, world title-holder German Florian Wellbrock’s name showed up as the top favourite, together with Ukraine’s European champion Mykhaylo Romanchuk, the two youngsters who managed to halt Gregorio Paltrinieri’s six-year winning run in 2018. The Italian’s chances for a title-defence were further ruined by his mononucleosis in June, though he showed some guts in the 800m and came second there.
However, that event had already demonstrated that the last individual final of the meet this Sunday would turn into the Bobby Finke Challenge – the American’s glazing last 50m had earned him the title there and it was clear that he was the man to beat in the 1500m as well.
Soon after 500m a four-horse race ensued among the three 2019 world medallists – and Finke. Wellbrock took the lead but turn after turn the top three were within 0.60-70sec and Paltrinieri was also close. The Italian tried to rush ahead, just like in the 800m but this time this effort lasted only till 300m, then he could only try to stay on course.
Lap after lap, the landscape didn’t change, the top three turned shoulder-by-shoulder, Paltrinieri slightly behind them – it was all about positioning themselves for the last surge, the last 50m. Soon after the 1400m turn, when the ‘engines’ were switched to maximum speed, the Italian lagged behind – so it was Wellbrock, Romanchuk and Finke…
And just like in the 800m, Finke’s fantastic finish was simply unmatchable. The splits for the last 50m are telling – Finke: 25.78, Romanchuk: 26.78, Wellbrock 27.76 (Paltrinieri 29.16). (Only China’s Sun Yang had a faster homecoming when he set his monstrous 14:31.02 WR in London and produced a 25.68 split in the last length.) Over 50m a full second separated the top three respectively, and that determined the ranks as well. Finke indeed won by that second, 1.01 ahead of the Ukrainian who turned third but out-touched Wellbrock by 0.15sec for the silver.
Among the finalists, it was Finke who set a new PB with 14:39.65, shaving off 7sec from his previous top time – while all the others may lament on what-ifs as they all were several seconds away from their PBs.
An interesting fact: exceptionally, this title wandered through the five continents in the last five editions since Kieren Perkins retained it in 2004. After the Aussies’ dominance, Ous Mellouli (TUN) brought the gold to Africa in 2008, then came China’s Sun Yang’s WR-swim in London to have an Asian champion, last time it was Europe’s turn via Gregorio Paltrinieri in Rio and now the victor is coming from America. Indeed, it was a long wait for the US – their last gold here dates back to 1984 when Michael O’Brian won in Los Angeles.
Robert Finke was sitting on the clouds while talking on his achievements in Tokyo.
"I came in not really expecting to get a medal or anything and came out of it with two golds so I am just going to do my best to process things, hang out with my family and teammates here. We've still got a couple of (swimming) events so just going to be screaming my butt off for the team."
After the ‘screaming session’, at the press conference, he shared more insights from the 1500m free final. “I was basically just trying to stay with Florian and Mykhailo throughout the whole race and I knew from the 800 I could switch gears. I just tried to do my best and start sprinting.”
“They have been harping on at us a bunch about switching gears for the end of a race. I learned it from them. Especially during the 800 I had coach (Stephen) Jungbluth’s voice yelling at me in my head about switching gears and just getting the job done.”
Still, he is yet to recognise what he has just done in Tokyo. “Honestly it doesn’t seem too real. I came in, not expecting to medal and just do my best to make the finals. To come out with two golds it means the world to me and my family, my teammates. I am just trying to represent the US as best I can.”