PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — An Olympic gold medalist is now back home here in the Tampa Bay Area!
Bobby Finke is a Clearwater native and was welcomed home by friends and family Saturday morning at the pool he trains at.
American flags and shirts with Bobby Finke's face filled the stands at the St. Petersburg Aquatics Center.
"I'm so excited to see him in real life again this year," said 8-year-old, Tenlyn Jordan.
"I hope he just knows how much we love him and support him and so proud we are of him," said Regina Novak, a local mom.
Finke won a silver medal in the men's 800-meter freestyle and won gold in the 1,500-meter free in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"It was just another dream come true. I was really stressed coming into these Olympics, so to be able to get the job done is just a blessing to have," said Finke.
It was a moment Finke said he worked years for.
"Lap after lap, I was in a lot of pain but I could see my other competitors kind of catching up to me so they were really motivating me to get ahead of them and be on pace for the world record. And luckily enough I was able to hold it. It was fun," said Finke.
Kids at the aquatic center swim with Bobby and said watching him win gold was a moment they will never forget.
"It was like, me jumping all the way to the moon and back!" said Rafael Wuttke, a swimmer.
Now that he's back home, the celebrations begin.
"I love coming back and seeing everybody and seeing the support, they've pushed me through out these years of growing up," said Finke.
"It's just thrilling beyond belief to know someone who swims in our pool did that," said Novak.
Finke said that the work isn't stopping and now that he's back home, he will continue swimming.
"Whether that's LA28, whether that's beyond that, I don't know. But I'm excited for what is to come," said Finke.
Finke is inspiring young swimmers to reach their dreams as well.
"I'm really hoping to one day grow up and be just like him," said Jordan.
"I look up to him and maybe in ten years I'll beat his world record," said Wuttke.
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