Tokyo Olympics 2021: Robert Finke gold in 1500m ensures USA wins medal tally in the pool

America has narrowly avoided being embarrassed in the pool after Robert Finke took out the gold medal in the 1500m in Tokyo.

Robert Finke has won the 1500m freestyle final at the Tokyo Olympics to ensure the United States cannot be beaten on the gold medals table in swimming.

Finke dug deep on the 30th and final lap of the longest race in the pool to win in a time of 14:39.65.

He was the first American to win the event since Mike O’Brien at the 1984 Los Angeles but his timing could not have been better.

The win gave the US a 10th gold medal in swimming in Tokyo, two more than Australia with just two relay races to go.

Australia did not have a finalist in the men’s 1500m.

Earlier: USA facing being overtaken

America’s loss is Australia’s gain, and how sweet that is.

After blowing their own trumpets about how they would steamroll all their opponents, the US swim team at the Tokyo Olympics is in danger of being beaten on the gold medal table for the first time since the fall of Communism.

And the country that is reaping the most benefits from the US flops to get neat the top the table is none other than Australia — propelled by our incredible women who have left trash talking American breaststroker Lilly King with more egg on her face than Gary Hall Jr after he wrongly predicted the Americans would smash the Aussies like guitars.

Australia's 4x100m freestyle relay teams smashes the Americans like guitars. Picture: Gregg Porteous

By Australia’s standards, the Tokyo Olympics have been a blinding success for the Dolphins but for the American swim team, it’s been an utter humiliation.

With Michael Phelps leading the charge, the U.S. won 16 gold medals at both the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, compared to Australia’s miserable hauls of one and three at the same competitions.

But with only one day of swimming to go in Tokyo, the US is desperately clinging to a lead over Australia by eight golds to seven, with five finals remaining: the men’s and women’s 50 freestyle, the men’s 1500m freestyle and the two medley relays.

Australia has the advantage in the women’s 50m freestyle, with Emma McKeon the fastest qualifier, while the U.S. has the edge in the men’s race, through Caeleb Dressel.

Neither country is expected to win the 1500m or the men’s medley so it could all come down to the women’s medley relay — which is too tight to call.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow but I’m not calling anything,” said Dressel, knowing the payback for underestimating the opposition can be brutal.

Golden girls: Australia’s women have dominated the pool. Picture: Al Bello/Getty

“I haven’t seen the medal count. Our goal here wasn’t just to beat Australia. I don’t think that’s Australia’s goal either.

“When you think swimming you think Australia and the USA. I know both countries have the utmost respect for each other, which is nice to have.

“It’s a clean rivalry and I enjoy that. It’s fun to compete against the Australians.”