{"id":478127,"date":"2021-06-17T17:18:06","date_gmt":"2021-06-18T00:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=478127"},"modified":"2021-06-17T20:28:24","modified_gmt":"2021-06-18T03:28:24","slug":"u-s-olympic-trials-bobby-finke-claims-initial-mens-800-free-olympic-spot-brinegar-makes-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/u-s-olympic-trials-bobby-finke-claims-initial-mens-800-free-olympic-spot-brinegar-makes-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Bobby Finke Claims Historic First Men’s 800 Free Olympic Spot Ahead of Brinegar"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was a historic race in the men’s 800 freestyle as the event would have its first Olympians in history with the addition of the event in this Olympic cycle. Bobby Finke<\/strong> claimed the premier title in the event, touching the wall first. More history was made with who touched second as Michael Brinegar<\/strong> became a second-generation Olympian \u2014 45 years after his mother represented the U.S.<\/p>\n

Finke led at the 200 split ahead of Ross Dant<\/strong> and Gallant but through 300 meters, every 50 saw a change in the leader.<\/p>\n

By the final lap, it was Fink, Dant and Michael Brinegar<\/strong> in contention ahead of Olympian Jordan Wilimovsky<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Finke put together a strong final turn and the race was for second between Dant and Brinegar with Brinegar holding off Dant for the second spot.<\/p>\n

Finke finished the race in 7:48.22, ahead of Brinegar (7:49.94).<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the first 800 at the Olympics and I am honored to bea\u00a0 aprt along with Michael Brinegar,” Finke said. \u201cI saw them oh my god. I was really nervous the whole time and I am grateful to get my hand on the wall first and get to Tokyo. “I think in 2016, I was more stressed than I was here. That is because I made the final in the 1500 and I didn\u2019t want to get last because I felt like I would be slowing down the meet. I got seventh. I am more relaxed here.”<\/p>\n

Michael Brinegar<\/strong> , who took a gap year to train with Mark Schubert<\/strong> last year, became a second-generation Olympian. Jennifer Hooker<\/strong>, his mother, was a 1976 Olympian for the U.S.<\/p>\n

“I just knew if I stayed close enough, I was going to give everything I had on the last 50. I felt really good through the 500, and then my legs started getting really tight, so I did everything I could to stay on track,” Brinegar said.<\/p>\n

Dant was third in 7:50.66, ahead of Wilimovsky (7:53.07).<\/p>\n

Finke is the American record holder in the 1,650 freestyle in short-course yards, and received a lot of attention for his swimming at Florida, but has also proved to be strong in long course, claiming multiple U.S. national championships in 2019.<\/p>\n

Finke has been around the scene the past few years<\/a>, making the 2017 World Championship team when he was a junior in high school, and also was in the top 10 in the world in the summer of 2018.<\/p>\n

Before he went off to the University of Florida in 2018, he was a 14:48 LCM at the Pan Pacs for eighth in the world. And last year, he had the fastest time in the U.S. with a 14:51 when he won the national title.<\/p>\n

Will Gallant<\/strong>, who had the top seed out of prelims<\/a>, finished fifth.<\/p>\n