The number of gold medals in swimming was the same.
Bobby Finke set a world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Sunday in a time of 14 minutes 30.67 seconds, holding the lead throughout the race and beating Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri to finish atop the podium and win the United States’ seventh pool gold medal of the Olympic Games.
Finke, who won the 1500m gold medal in Tokyo, took an early lead but was challenged by Paltrinieri in the final 200m as the two made attempts on the world record.
However, heading into the final corner Finke had over a second lead over the Italian, a lead which he extended on the final lap.
2024 Paris Olympics
At the Paris Games, long-distance swimming was the United States’ strongest event, with Katie Ledecky winning the 1,500m and 800m, and Finke winning silver in the 800m.
But the gold medal will be crucial because it gives the U.S. a chance to regain the lead on the final day of Olympic swimming.
The United States won the most medals by a wide margin, but gold was scarce due to the performances of athletes such as France’s Leon Marchand and Canada’s Summer McIntosh.
Finke, a Tampa native, may be looking to change just that.
