Bobby Finke Moves to 8th on All-Time Americans List in Men’s 800 Free

2019 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• July 31 – August 4, 2019
• Prelims 9:00 AM/Finals 5:00 PM (U.S. Pacific Standard Time)
• Avery Aquatics Center (Stanford, CA)
• LCM (50 Meter Pool)
• Meet Site
• Psych Sheet
• Pre-scratch timeline
• TV & Livestream Schedule
• Omega Results

19-year old Bobby Finke jumped into 8th-place on the all-time US rankings in the men’s 800 long course meter freestyle on Sunday in the final session of the US National Championships. He swam a 7:47.58 in the final to win by almost 3 seconds ahead of Zane Grothe, who was stroke-for-stroke with Finke until fading over the last 150 meters.

Only Larsen Jensen, who swam a then-American Record of 7:45.63 in 2005 when he was 19, has been faster in this race among American teenagers than Finke. Jensen never again surpassed that time.

Finke missed the World University Games in July after injuring his wrist in a scooter accident. It only took a 7:56 at that meet for gold. Finke is now the fastest American in the world this year (and 11th overall in the World Rankings).

Finke’s previous lifetime best of 7:51.45 from last summer ranked him 11th all-time among Americans. With the men’s 800 free being added as an Olympic event for the first time in 2020, the expectation is that the race will see a lot more serious contenders going forward, both domestically and globally, that will at least result in more of these top 10 kind of swims.

Top 10 All-Time, Americans, Men’s 800 LCM Free:

1. Michael McBroom, 2013 – 7:43.60
2. Zane Grothe, 2018 – 7:43.74
3. Connor Jaeger, 2013 – 7:44.26
4. Jordan Wilimovsky, 2018 – 7:45.19
5. Larsen Jensen, 2005 – 7:45.63
6. Chad La Tourette, 2011 – 7:46.52
7. Peter Vanderkaay, 2011 – 7:46.64
8. Bobby Finke, 2019 – 7:47.58
9. Erik Vendt, 2007 – 7:49.75
10. Clark Smith, 2017 – 7:50.43