Paris Olympics: USA’s Finke sets new world record in men’s 1,500m freestyle

Team USA’s Bobby Finke breaks 12-year-old record to win second straight Olympic gold medal in the men’s 1,500m freestyle.

The USA’s Bobby Finke smashed the world record as he defended his Olympic title in the men’s 1,500m freestyle, with Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri taking silver and Daniel Wiffen of Ireland claiming the bronze.

Finke, who led from the outset of Sunday’s race, set a new world mark of 14:30.67, breaking the previous best of 14:31.02 set by China’s Sun Yang at the London Olympics 2012.

The American, who won gold in both the 1,500m and 800m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, made his intentions clear early in the contest, taking a strong lead in the opening laps.

He was out on his own until Paltrinieri, the gold medallist in this event at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016, narrowed the gap around the 850-metre mark.

The Italian was also swimming at a world-record tempo, but when it came down to the final four laps, Finke had kept some energy in reserve to ensure he reached the wall 3.88 seconds ahead of Paltrinieri.

Wiffen, who had won gold in the 800m freestyle ahead of Finke, had said before the race that it would take a world record time to win it.

He was correct, but he was unable to deliver it, finishing 8.96 seconds behind Finke.

Sjostrom takes 50m women’s free

Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden claimed her second gold medal of the Paris Olympics, furiously dashing from one end of the pool to the other to easily claim the 50m freestyle title on the final night of swimming on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Sjostrom, competing in her fifth Summer Games, touched in 23.71 seconds, just shy of the world record of 23.61 she set at the 2023 world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

In a race that’s usually decided by a hundredths of a second, the Swedish star turned this final into a relative blowout. She was fastest off the block and clearly in control by the midway point of the single lap.

Meg Harris of Australia took the silver in 23.97, while the bronze went to China’s Zhang Yufei in 24.20.