Tokyo 2020 - Robert Finke produces flying finish to deny Gregorio Paltrinieri and claim 800m freestyle Olympic gold
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ByEurosport
Updated 29/07/2021 at 06:50 GMT
Robert Finke powered home in the final 50 metres to deny Gregorio Paltrinieri and claim Olympic gold in the men's 800m freestyle. Gregorio Paltrinieri took second, with Mykhailo Romanchuk coming home in third to secure a bronze medal. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.
‘He was never in the frame’ - Finke produces flying finish to take 800m gold
Robert Finke produced a blistering finish to take gold in the men’s 800 metre freestyle.
The American was in fifth place at 700m, and well off the blistering pace set by Gregorio Paltrinieri.
However, he produced a stunning final 50 metres to power through the field to claim gold in a time of 7:41.87, with Paltrinieri second and Mykhailo Romanchuk - who set an Olympic record in the semi-finals - in third.
Paltrinieri set out his stall in the first 25 metres, with the Italian looking to swim himself into form ahead of bigger targets in the 1500m and the Open Water swim.
If the rest of the field were of the opinion that Paltrinieri would falter, they were mistaken as he opened up a big lead of almost two seconds.
Having set off at such a pace, Paltrinieri did slow in the second half of the race.
Romanchuk and Florian Wellbrock cut into Paltrinieri’s lead in the final 200m, with Wellbrock turning narrowly ahead at the 750m mark.
Paltrinieri fought back and looked set to strike for gold, but Finke came from out of the clouds to lead five metres from home to take gold for America.
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