Finke Advances in 800m Freestyle at World Championships

US Swimmer Secures Final Berth Amidst Strong Field

American swimmer Bobby Finke has successfully qualified for the men’s 800-meter freestyle final at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Finke secured his spot by finishing fourth in his heat on Monday, July 28.

Finke’s Strategic Swim

Entering the arena to enthusiastic cheers, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion in this event demonstrated a composed performance. Finke maintained a steady pace throughout his heat, resisting the urge to match the early surges from competitors like Australia’s Sam Short and Germany’s Sven Schwarz.

Tight Qualification Battle

Finke clocked a time of 7:44.02, placing him in the final alongside Short and Schwarz, who finished ahead of him. The race also saw Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi emerge as the fastest qualifier with a time of 7:41.58.

Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, who has been contending with recent appendicitis, also secured a final spot, finishing fifth in his heat. He qualified just ahead of Germany’s Lukas Märtens, who finished seventh.

Other Notable Performances

In other morning session events, Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, the reigning Olympic champion in the 100m breaststroke, advanced to the 50m breaststroke semi-finals. Meanwhile, Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, the current 200m freestyle Olympic champion, qualified for her event’s semi-finals.

USA’s Luca Urlando led the charge in the men’s 200m butterfly qualifiers, setting the fastest time, with Canada’s Ilya Kharun qualifying third fastest.

The US swimming team is experiencing a strong showing at the championships, building on earlier successes, including Gretchen Walsh’s victory in the 100m butterfly. As of July 29, the USA leads the overall swimming medal table at the World Aquatics Championships.