The American professional swimmer Robert Finke was born on November 6, 1999. In the men's 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyle swims, he brought home two gold medals for the United States during the 2020 Summer Olympics. Bobby is the nickname that Finke's pals call him. Under Coach Anthony Nesty, he competed in swimming from 2018 to 2022 for the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. He swims for UF now in the professional group. Bobby trained under Coach Fred Lewis as a swimmer for the Saint Petersburg Aquatics Club (SPA) in Saint Petersburg, Florida, before entering a university.
Finke set an American record in the men's 800m freestyle at the 2020 Olympics with a time of 7:41.87. With a time of 7:39.36 at the 2022 FINA World Championships, he broke the record.
Finke also beat the American record in the 1500m freestyle in the 2022 FINA World Championships, clocking in at 14:36.70.
Finke's 800m freestyle performance of 7:43.32 at the 2022 Phillips 66 US International Team Trials also holds the U.S. Open record, which is the fastest time recorded on American territory.
At the 2020 SEC Championships, Finke broke the American record in the 1650-yard freestyle in the short course pool at 14:12.08.
Who is Bobby Finke's coach?
Robert "Bobby" Finke is an American professional swimmer who was trained by Anthony Nesty, the head coach of Team USA, and the University of Florida until 2018. Surinamese competition swimmer Anthony Conrad Nesty (born November 25, 1967) won the gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly event at the 1988 Olympics. Formerly a student at the University of Florida, he is currently the head coach of the men's and women's swim teams.
The US men's swimming team was selected by Nesty to serve as head coach for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in September 2023.
Anthony Nesty, the youngest of his family's five children, was born in 1967 in Port of Spain. When Nesty was seven months old, his family moved to Suriname, and he began swimming at the age of five. Up until the start of his adolescent years, Nesty trained and participated in competitions in Suriname and the Caribbean. At the 1983 Pan American Games, he and his sister Pauline represented Suriname. Nesty, who was only sixteen years old when he placed twenty-first in the 100-meter butterfly at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, enrolled in The Bolles School, a prep school in Jacksonville, Florida, which is renowned for producing outstanding, world-class swimmers. Nesty smashed Pablo Morales' prep school record in the 100-yard butterfly while working with Bolles coach Gregg Troy. Nesty's notable achievements began when they broke Morales's record. In 1987, he received his diploma from Bolles School.
Swim Career of Anthony Nesty.
Nesty, a former male African American swimmer, triumphed in the 100-meter butterfly and the 200-meter race at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana, marking his triumphant return to international competition. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, he also triumphed in the 100-meter butterfly, defeating American favorite Matt Biondi by a mere hundredth of a second. Nesty was the second swimmer from South America and the first male African American athlete to win an Olympic gold medal.
His gold medal accomplishment represented a significant social and political advancement for Afro-Caribbeans. In recognition of him, the Surinamese government issued a stamp, gold and silver coins, and a twenty-five guilder bill. In addition, a Paramaribo indoor stadium and an aircraft were renamed in his honor by Surinam Airways.
In 1990 and 1991, Nesty also took home gold medals from the Goodwill Games and the FINA World Aquatics Championship. While competing in Barcelona, Spain, in 1988, he tried to defend his gold medal, but he was only able to secure a bronze. Nesty declined an invitation to participate in the 2008 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations in Beijing, even though he was no longer competing. His honors included being named an "Honor Swimmer" in the 1998 International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) and a "Gator Great" in the 2002 University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.
Anthony Nesty's Journey into Coaching.
Nesty was the head coach at Jacksonville's Nease High School and returned to Bolles School in the middle of the 1990s as a swim coach.
Nesty was appointed associate head coach of the Florida Gators men's swimming team in 2006 after serving as an assistant men's coach at the University of Florida in 1998. Nesty will now lead the Florida Gators women's swimming team as well, the institution announced on April 13, 2021. Caeleb Dressel, formerly of longtime coach Gregg Troy, will join Nesty's college team at the University of Florida in November 2021. Nesty is presently coaching Katie Ledecky, Bobby Finke, and Kieran Smith, three notable swimmers.
Nesty was appointed Assistant Coach of the U.S. Men's Olympic Swim Team in June 2021. He was appointed Head Coach of the U.S. Men's Swim Team at the Budapest, Hungary, 2022 FINA World Championships in February 2022.
Nesty was announced in September 2023 as the head coach of the United States men's team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Todd DeSorbo will serve as the head coach of the women's squad.
Images of Anthony Conrad Nesty and Bobby Finke.
FAQ's On Bobby Finke's coach
A. At the 2022 Phillips 66 US International Team Trials, Finke's 800m freestyle performance of 7:43.32 holds the U.S. Open record, which is the fastest time recorded within the United States.
A. Bobby Finke weighs 78 kg.
A. Suriname is Anthony Nesty's home country.
