Who is Bobby Finke's coach and where does he train? All about the man behind double Olympic champion

Bobby Finke is a competitive swimmer specializing in long-distance freestyle events who represents the United States. He is a two-time Olympic champion and has won the World Championships long course once during his career.

Finke qualified for his second Olympic Games in the 800m freestyle after winning the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, clocking 7:44.22 to win the competition. Finke will be eager to defend his Olympic title in the 800m at the Paris Olympics, having won the event at the 2020 Tokyo Games with a time of 7:41.87.

Finke’s career soared after he joined the University of Florida, where he competed for the Florida Gators in numerous collegiate events. However, the key figure in his development as a swimmer has been Anthony Nesty, his mentor at both the collegiate and international levels.

Nesty continues to coach Finke as he trains in Gainesville, Florida. Nesty is also the head coach of men’s swimming and diving for the Florida Gators. The 2024-25 season marks his seventh year leading the Florida Gators’ swimmers.

Nesty, a former Olympic gold medalist representing Suriname in the men’s 100m butterfly at the 1988 Seoul Games, is also contributing to the U.S. men’s swimming team at the 2024 Paris Olympics as a mentor. Nesty is also the personal coach of Katie Ledecky, who is renowned as the greatest female swimmer of all time.

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What is Bobby Finke’s next competition at the Paris Olympics?

Robert Finke poses with his gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Photo by Xavier Laine/Getty Images)

Besides competing in the men’s 800m freestyle at the Paris Olympics, Bobby Finke will be in action in the men’s 1500m freestyle. Finke is the reigning Olympic champion in the 1500m as well and will be aiming to defend his title in the event. He presently has a personal best of 14:31.59, with his best effort in the season being 14:40.28.

Finke will feature in the heats of the 1500m freestyle on August 3, 2024, competing in the Heat 4 of the event at the Paris Olympics. The finals of the 1500m freestyle are scheduled the next day on August 4, Sunday.

With Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia not participating in the quadrennial Games due to an injury, Finke is one of the top contenders for the gold medal at the Paris Olympics in this discipline. However, Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, Florian Wellbrock of Germany, and Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen are capable of challenging Finke’s gold medal campaign in the event.