Paris Olympics: Hopeful Swimmer Robert Finke Reveals Katie Ledecky Is the Most Famous Person He Knows

Training alongside a 7-time Olympic gold medalist will likely give anyone the jitters. However, for the 800m and 1500m freestyle champion from Tokyo, Robert Finke, it seems as comfortable as a lap across the pool. Starting in 2021, when veteran swimmer Katie Ledecky joined the Florida Gators, she and Finke began training under coach Anthony Nesty. Competition and camaraderie have thrived between the duo ever since and they are scheduled to appear at the Lucas Oil Stadium soon, for the Olympic Team Trials.

Amidst this, Finke’s recent revelation betokens massive respect for his distinguished training partner.

Katie Ledecky is Robert Finke’s elitest contact

A piece by The New York Times traces Katie Ledecky’s ‘gold medal mindset,’ canvassed by interviewer Andrew Trunksky. Particularly, while reviewing her preparation for Paris from the lens of her routine training allies, it cites one of Finke’s personal narratives. The swimmer recounts a recurrent question he faces, “Who’s the most famous person you have in your phone?“, and confesses, “I’m like, it’s probably Katie, for me.“

Admittedly, Ledecky is the most renowned personality the 24-year-old personally knows. This reputation of hers is why he even adds that he was a little nervous initially when she shifted to Gainsville. He concedes, “I’ll be honest, I was very scared at first just because I’ve seen how she trains in practice and how fast she goes.” With 21 world championship titles and 10 Olympic medals, her prestige can make people experience a bundle of nerves.

Finke even hints at his grandiose attempts to compete with her in the article. “I won’t lie, she’s beaten me a pretty good amount of times,” agrees the swimmer candidly. But neither these nor her monumental feats seem to get her stuck on herself as Finke attests, “I’ve never heard her mention that she has a world record, a gold medal or a world title.” Indeed, humility is a virtue Ledecky truly underscores.

Finke’s raw and subjective point of view about Ledecky suggests how he has struck a balance between friendship and seniority with the all-time great. And that does not appear to be a one-way street. Snippets from Ledecky’s life also involve Finke frequently, as the two navigate the same waters.

Ledecky’s amiable equation with co-trainees

As per NBC Olympics, reflecting on her change from Stanford to Gainesville, Katie Ledekcy had said, “I’m training a lot with the boys and trying to keep up with them as much as I can.” And truly appears to have come a long way since then. Commenting on her practice sessions with Finke and Kieran Smith, she has exclaimed, “Just trying to keep up with them changed my stroke naturally,” via The New York Times. Definitely, she is drawing significant benefits out of these group sessions.

Moreover, if one skims through her Instagram account, she often posts candid images or short videos, giving a sneak peek into what transpires under coach Anthony’s mentored sessions. Invariably, the snippets also exhibit her bond with Finke. For instance, her post summarising the last year, captioned “2023 outtakes” features a video where she is training alongside Finke. Another one from July 2022 shows her, Finke, and Peter Bretzmann posing casually near the lane dividers, captioned, “Back at it… @robert_finke is happy 😁 and the cap tans are coming in nicely.”

Therefore, apart from the grind, her training sessions with the boys seem quite fun, hinting at the bond she has developed with them.