“Becoming an Olympian has been my lifelong dream, and I’m grateful for every step of this journey,” shares Bobby Finke, the celebrated swimmer from Clearwater, Florida, as he gears up for the Paris Olympics. Robert Finke, also known as Bobby, quickly made a splash in the swimming world with his extraordinary talents. At just 14 years old, he burst onto the scene by breaking records at the Florida Age Group State Championships (FLAGS) in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events, setting new standards of excellence. This early success hinted at the bright future awaiting this young swimmer.

Growing up, his sisters Autumn Skye and Summer Ariel Finke, served as his earliest inspirations, fueling his passion for swimming. The long-distance star owes a lot of his career to the playful sibling rivalry the three had. While Bobby has cemented his status as one of the swimmers to inspire a whole new generation who train at the North Shore Aquatic complex, we look back at the heroes in his own life. 

Bobby Finke’s older siblings are popular swimmers

Bobby Finke has two older sisters; Autumn Skye Finke and Ariel Summer Finke. Autumn Skye used to swim for the University of Florida. Autumn was a standout swimmer and qualified for the US National Team. She earned a spot on the FINA World Championships roster in 2017. She even participated in the 2016 Olympic Trials, showcasing her prowess in Olympic swimming. In fact, Bobby’s father, John Finke said, “All three kids were at trials that year.” 

Ariel Summer is also part of the siblings’ swimming legacy. Ariel swam for Florida State University as well as the North Carolina State University. She even qualified for the NCAA Championships and placed fifth overall in 1650 freestyle at the ACC championships. She had a time of 16:13:39s. Moreover, she placed sixth in the 1650 freestyle once with 16:08:20s. At another conference competition, she placed third in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 9:56:79s. Bobby Finke’s older siblings, Autumn Skye, and Ariel Summer, are accomplished swimmers whose success inspired and motivated him to achieve his own Olympic gold medal and world records in swimming.

The swimming family of Bobby Finke

In 2021, after winning the men’s 1500 freestyle during wave 2 of the US Olympic trials in Omaha, one interesting thing came to view. Ariel Summer said about her brother, “It was my second time there, his first time there.” The siblings are fiercely competitive in nature. One of Bobby’s primary goals had always been to level up from his underdog status. He admits how his sisters inspired him to swim, “I wanted to beat them, and I wanted to compete against them because I’m the younger brother,” he said.  

Other than his siblings, his parents are also involved in swimming. Joe Finke, his dad, is a highly respected coach. He has served as the coach for the St. Petersburg Aquatics, which is a renowned swim team in Florida. Joe’s expertise was even commended by the American Swimming Coaches Association when he was named the top 10 age-group coaches. While it’s not clear whether his mother swam, she always encouraged him to not ‘be a couch potato.’ The couple has always supported their kids’ endeavors and often flew them around the country for swimming meets so they could enhance their skills. The Finke family’s legacy in swimming continues to fuel Bobby Finke’s success, highlighting that greatness is inherent in their lineage.