‘I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed’: Bobby Finke on winning the silver in the 800m freestyle

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Bobby Finke, the 24-year-old Tampa native Olympian, is not hiding his feelings on winning the silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed,” Finke admitted. “But being able to still get a medal and represent Team USA is truly incredible.”

Finke, an alum from the University of Florida, fell just shy of defending his 800-meter men’s freestyle gold medal he won in the 2020 Tokyo Games, finishing second behind Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen in the Paris pool.

“I was peaking over a couple of times just to make sure I was still in contention, see where everybody was at,” Finke said.

Despite falling just short of the gold in his first 2024 finals, Finke still has a shot at a gold medal when he competes in the 1500-meter men’s freestyle, an event he won in Tokyo.

“It’s definitely motivation,” Finke said. “I still want to get a gold medal, so I’m just gonna use it as fuel into the next race.”

Despite his own disappointment, Finke knows the people that matter most are still in his corner, saying his family would have been pround even if he came in last place.

When asked what the strategy is for the 1500-meter, Finke said not much will change about his approach.

“It’s really all I know how to do,” Finke joked with a smile. “Hopefully I win.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.