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 "Paris Olympics: Bobby Finke breaks world record in the 1500m, preserving a century-old streak for the United States"

PARIS — The century-old streak began at a man-made lake in St. Louis and has spanned eras and continents. From 1904 to the present, American male swimmers have won individual gold at every Olympics the United States has entered. This streak, which reached its height in the 1920s and 1970s and included a sweep in 1948, withstood downturns in the 1980s and 1990s. It roared back in the 21st century but now, at the 2024 Games, it faces the threat of ending.

In the final of 14 men’s individual events at Paris La Défense Arena, Bobby Finke came through to save the day with a world record. 

On Sunday, Finke won the 1500-meter freestyle, redeeming himself after a loss in the 800 meters earlier in the week. He surged ahead in the first 300 meters, then fended off competitors during the middle of the race. In the final 500 meters, he pulled well ahead of Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri, finishing in 14:30.67, just under the 12-year-old record of 14:31.02.

With this victory, Finke secured the continuation of the United States' gold medal streak for at least another four years. 

The streak had been in jeopardy for most of the past nine disappointing days at the 2024 Olympics. USA Swimming had sent 26 male athletes to compete in this temporary pool west of Paris, but up until Sunday, none had won gold. Out of 13 individual events, eight had ended without an American in the top three, and two had not featured an American in the final at all. Other events resulted in eighth-place finishes.

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There had been disappointments in preliminary heats and semifinals, with notable misses and a series of lackluster performances. The potential decline of U.S. men’s swimming—or the stagnation of the U.S. program compared to the progress of others—seemed poised to become a major topic of discussion in the coming weeks and months. 

However, Finke quieted those discussions, elevating Team USA in the swimming medal count and sparing the U.S. men from further embarrassment.

Despite the streak's threat, American swimming had still shown strength at these Olympics. U.S. athletes garnered numerous medals for Team USA overall, with American women securing four individual golds and relay victories. As a team, the U.S. proved its depth in swimming.

Though they struggled to claim top podium spots, with Nic Fink winning silver in the 100-breaststroke final and Carson Foster, Ryan Murphy, and Luke Hobson taking bronze, the American women faced fierce competition. Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, Torri Huske, Gretchen Walsh, and Katie Grimes had strong performances but were narrowly defeated by Canada’s Summer McIntosh, Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, or Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström. Despite this, they left the competition with their heads held high.

The men, in contrast, had faced significant challenges. Caeleb Dressel, struggling after a turbulent few years, failed to defend any of his three individual golds. Ryan Murphy fell short of expectations, and first-time Olympians did not make a strong impression. Chase Kalisz, the defending Olympic champion in the 400-meter individual medley, didn't even reach the final, and was unlikely to surpass Léon Marchand.

Before Sunday, Finke was part of this disappointing narrative. Having been defeated by Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen in the 800 meters, he exemplified the difficulty of defending an Olympic title and the depth of the international competition.

However, on the final night of the competition, Finke changed the story, capping the meet with a world record.