History of Nic Fink in Timeline
Nicolas Fink is a highly decorated American competitive swimmer with an impressive record of achievements. He is a five-time world champion in breaststroke, an Olympic silver medalist, and a world record holder in relay events. Fink holds multiple American and Americas records in the 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke categories. He has consistently excelled in major competitions, securing World Short Course titles in 2021 and 2022 and a World Long Course title in 2022.
July 3, 1993: Birth of Nic Fink
Nic Fink was born on July 3, 1993.
2010: Nic Fink Signs with Georgia Bulldogs
In the fall of 2010, Nic Fink officially committed to swimming for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, marking a significant step in his collegiate career.
2012: Previous Attempts to Qualify for the Olympics
Nic Fink had previously tried to qualify for the Olympics at the 2012 and 2016 US Olympic Trials, but was unsuccessful on both occasions.
2012: First US Olympic Trials
Nic Fink participated in his first US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, in June and July 2012. Despite his best efforts, he finished 11th in the 100 meter breaststroke, 17th in the 200 meter breaststroke, and 26th in the 200 meter individual medley, narrowly missing the opportunity to qualify for the 2012 US Olympic Team.
2013: World Aquatics Championships Debut
Nic Fink made his debut at the World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona in 2013, showcasing his skills on the global stage with an eighth-place finish in the final of the 100m breaststroke, achieving a time of 1:00.10.
2013: Breakthrough at US National Championships
Nic Fink rose to prominence on the national swimming scene in 2013 with an impressive second-place finish in the 100m breaststroke at the US National Championships, clocking in at 1:00.24. He further solidified his presence with a third-place finish in the 200m breaststroke and a sixth-place finish in the 50m breaststroke.
2014: Pan Pacific Championships and National Recognition
Nic Fink's achievements at the 2014 National Championships earned him a place on the US team for the Pan Pacific Championships in Gold Coast, Australia. He further impressed by securing the silver medal in the 200 meter breaststroke with a time of 2:08.94. These accomplishments led to his inclusion in the US National Swim Team for the 2014-2015 year. He also received a nomination for USA Swimming's Golden Goggle Award for "Male Race of the Year" for his outstanding 200-meter breaststroke performance at the Pan Pacific Championships.
2015: Member of the US National Swim Team
Nic Fink was part of the US National Swim Team during the 2014-2015 year.
2016: Previous Attempts to Qualify for the Olympics
Nic Fink had previously tried to qualify for the Olympics at the 2012 and 2016 US Olympic Trials, but was unsuccessful on both occasions.
2016: Marriage to Melanie Margalis
Nic Fink is married to Melanie Margalis, who won a gold medal in swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
2016: Second Attempt at US Olympic Trials
Nic Fink, in his second attempt to qualify for the Olympics, competed at the 2016 US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska. He delivered commendable performances, securing seventh place in both the 100 meter breaststroke final with a time of 1:00.39 and the 200 meter breaststroke final with a time of 2:11.55. Despite his efforts, he was unable to secure a spot on the US Olympic Team.
2019: International Swimming League Debut and American Record
Nic Fink joined the inaugural International Swimming League in 2019, representing the Cali Condors, who finished third in the final held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in December. He triumphed in both the 50 and 200 meter breaststroke events for the Condors. His remarkable time of 25.75 seconds in the 50 meter breaststroke etched his name in the record books as a new American record for the event.
2019: Pan American Games Success
Nic Fink was selected to represent the USA Swimming Team in the 200 meter breaststroke at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. He won a silver medal in the 200 meter breaststroke with a time of 2:08.16, finishing just behind fellow American Will Licon. Fink also played a crucial role in the 4×100 meter medley relay team, swimming the breaststroke leg in a time of 58.57 seconds. The team, which also included Daniel Carr, Tom Shields, and Nathan Adrian, set a new Pan American Games record of 3:30.25, winning the gold medal.
2020: Olympic Debut
Nic Fink, after years of hard work and determination, made his Olympic debut at the 2020 Olympic Games.
2020: Olympic Performance in 200 Meter Breaststroke
Nic Fink competed in the 200 meter breaststroke at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He advanced to the semifinals after finishing the preliminaries with a time of 2:08.48, ranking fourth overall. He maintained his strong performance in the semifinals, finishing second in his heat with a time of 2:08.00 and securing a spot in the final with the fourth-best overall time. In a display of determination, he surpassed his semifinal time in the final, clocking in at 2:07.93, which earned him a commendable fifth-place finish.
2020: New American Records in International Swimming League
Nic Fink continued to shatter records in the 2020 season of the International Swimming League. He set new American records in the 100 meter breaststroke, clocking in at an impressive 56.16 seconds, and in the 200 meter breaststroke with a time of 2:02.20, demonstrating his exceptional skills and dominance in the pool.
June 2021: Olympic Qualification and Personal Bests
Nic Fink's perseverance paid off in June 2021 when he qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games. He achieved this feat by securing first place at the US Olympic Team Trials in the 200 meter breaststroke, clocking a personal best time of 2:07.55. This victory marked his first time making the US Olympic Team after three Olympic cycles, having previously fallen short in the 2012 and 2016 US Olympic Trials. He continued to impress with a personal best time of 58.50 seconds in the semifinals of the 100 meter breaststroke, making him the second-fastest American male swimmer in the event, trailing only Michael Andrew, who won the semifinals heat with an American record time of 58.14. Although he finished third in the final of the 100 meter breaststroke, he did not qualify for the US Olympic team in this event.
2021: 2021 World Short Course Championships
In 2021, Nic Fink competed in the World Short Course Championships in Abu Dhabi in the 50 meter, 100 meter, and 200 meter breaststroke, as well as the 100 meter individual medley. He won a bronze medal in the 100 meter breaststroke, his first World Championships medal.
2021: World Short Course Championship Titles and Records
In 2021, Nic Fink won the World Short Course title in the 50 meter breaststroke and set a world record in the short course 4x100 meter medley relay. He also won the gold medal in the 200 meter breaststroke at the World Short Course Championships.
2021: American and Americas Records in International Swimming League
Nic Fink continued to make waves at the final match of the 2021 International Swimming League in Eindhoven, Netherlands. He shattered the American record in the short course 50 meter breaststroke, clocking in at a blistering 25.72 seconds. Later that day, he contributed to another record-breaking performance, this time in the 4x100 meter medley relay. Swimming the breaststroke leg in a time of 55.21 seconds alongside his Cali Condors teammates Coleman Stewart, Caeleb Dressel, and Justin Ress, the team set a new Americas and American record with a time of 3:19.64. His dominance continued the next day when he set new Americas and American records in the 100 meter breaststroke with a time of 55.56 seconds, earning a remarkable 19 points for his team. This exceptional performance propelled him to third place in the world rankings for the event, trailing only Ilya Shymanovich of Belarus and Adam Peaty of Great Britain. Fink's outstanding performances throughout the final match earned him 59.5 most valuable player points, placing him second behind Sarah Sjöström of Energy Standard.
2022: 2022 World Aquatics Championships
At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, Nic Fink had a very successful showing. He won the bronze medal in the 100 meter breaststroke, followed by a gold medal in the 50 meter breaststroke, setting a new American record. He also won gold as part of the 4x100 meter mixed medley relay team.
2022: 2022 World Short Course Championships
In the 2022 World Short Course Championships, Nic Fink won multiple medals and set new records. He was part of the 4x50 meter mixed medley relay team that set a new world record and won gold. He then won his first individual world title in the 100 meter breaststroke. He also took silver in the 200 meter breaststroke, setting new Americas and American records.
2022: 2022 US International Team Trials
Nic Fink achieved personal best times in the 100 meter and 50 meter breaststroke at the 2022 US International Team Trials. He qualified for the World Championships team in all three breaststroke events (50 meter, 100 meter, and 200 meter). Initially selected for only the 100 meter and 200 meter, he was later added to the roster for the 50 meter breaststroke.
2022: World Championship Titles and Continued Success
Nic Fink continued his winning streak in 2022, securing the World Short Course title in the 50 meter breaststroke for the second consecutive year. He also clinched the World Long Course title in the same event. Additionally, he became the World Short Course gold medalist in the 100 meter breaststroke.
2024: 2024 Summer Olympics
At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Nic Fink won the silver medal in the 100 meter breaststroke.
2024: 2024 Olympic Trials
Nic Fink qualified for the 2024 Olympics in the 100 meter breaststroke at the US Olympic Trials.