American competitive swimmer Nicolas Fink also known as Nic Fink, 30, stands at 6 feet 3 inches weighs 82 kg (181 lbs), and has won the breaststroke world championship five times. He is now competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Nic Fink Qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024
Veteran American swimmer Nic Fink capped off a stunning late-career surge by qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, courtesy of a gold medal-winning performance in the 100m breaststroke at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
The 30-year-old Fink touched the wall first in 58.57 seconds, defeating reigning world champion Nicolò Martinenghi of Italy by 0.15 seconds. Great Britain’s Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder Adam Peaty took bronze.
“It’s incredible to be at this level at my age,” said an emotional Fink after the race. “I’ve put in thousands of hours and endless work over my career, always focused on finding small ways to improve. To see it pay off with a world title and Olympic qualification is incredible.”
Fink’s world championship victory locks up an Olympic spot by meeting the qualifying standard time. It caps a shocking late-surge for the veteran, who first competed unsuccessfully at the Olympic Trials in 2012 but failed to make the team.
Fink broke through with a 200m breaststroke victory at the U.S. Olympic Trials last summer to make his first Olympic team for Tokyo 2020 at the age of 29. He took bronze in the 100m breaststroke at last year’s World Championships.
Nic Fink’s words for success
Fink is quick to acknowledge that external measures of achievement do not define success for him. “Success is doing the best I can,” he stated. “Oddly enough, that led to success in the pool this past fall and winter. It has been a fun journey.”
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Fink has learned the importance of clear communication tailored to each athlete.
“It helps to have a new voice and someone else to phrase [advice] differently,”
“I’ll explain a concept again and the second lap is much better. They’re getting it – it’s fun to see them progress.”
he explained.
“You put in work all year for one two-minute race,” he noted
Nic Fink’s Early Life with His Parents
Nic Fink was born on July 3, 1993, to parents Peter Fink and Danielle Fink, the former NBA executive. But despite his father’s profession, Nic gravitated to swimming after being inspired by Olympic telecasts as a young child. He honed his skills locally at Pingry School before receiving a scholarship to swim collegiately at the prestigious University of Georgia.
Initially studying engineering, Fink later shifted his academic focus in Athens to the post-graduate realm. In the pool, he competed successfully for Georgia while setting his sights on the sport’s highest level.
“I have no intention of spending my Fridays grinding through threshold IM sets anymore,”
a 25-year old Fink remarked
After graduating in 2015, that future quickly transitioned from vision to reality. Fink signed with California Condors, a professional team in the International Swimming League while ramping up Olympic efforts. Though he fell short of qualifying in 2016, his persistence finally paid off with a 200m breaststroke national title in 2021 – punching his ticket to Tokyo at age 29.
Nic Fink is happily married to his swimmer wife Melanie Margalis Fink
The swimmer Nic Fink and Melanie first met as teammates at the University of Georgia before marrying in 2014.
Melanie was born on December 30, 1991, in Clearwater, Florida is a versatile swimmer who specializes in breaststroke and individual medley. She was born to her parents Bob and Caryn Margalis. Her brother Robert Margalis, is a talented Georgia swimmer and NCAA Champion. Margarlis pursued her studies in fashion merchandising.
After graduating from Georgia, Nic and Melanie joined the professional International Swimming League squad California Condors, The couple continued training together.
“Melanie is my training partner, travel buddy, and best friend,” Nic posted for her birthday in 2020.
Early in 2023, Melanie was hired as an assistant coach for the SMU women’s swimming roster back in her native Florida. But Nic remains laser-focused on Paris 2024 preparations in North Texas.
Nic’s major injury
Nic Fink was faced with a severe setback last fall when he broke his wrist during a dryland training session. The injury jeopardized his season for the professional California Condors squad and threw his high-level career into sudden uncertainty.
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Forced to wear cumbersome soft casts on both wrists, Fink endured a taxing rehabilitation regimen just to regain basic function in the water.
Nic Fink’s Swimming Career so far
Nic Fink Early Career as International Debut
In 2013, breaststroke swimmer Nic Fink announced himself as an emergent talent on the national stage. At that year’s U.S. National Championships, the young athlete captured 2nd place in the 100m breaststroke with a blazing time of 1:00.24. He also earned bronze in the 200m event while ranking 6th in the 50m sprint.
ink earned selection to his first senior World Championships in Barcelona. There, an 8th place final showing in the 100m breast presaged later worldwide victories.
At the 2014 U.S. Nationals, Fink punched his ticket to that summer’s Pan Pacific Championships. He rose to the occasion at that major meet, seizing 200m breaststroke silver in a swift 2:08.94. The swim reinforced his emergence among America’s fastest. It also brought acclaim via a Golden Goggles nomination for Race of the Year.
In both 2012 and 2016, Fink failed to qualify for U.S. Olympic rosters during emotionally devastating trial meets.
National and World Championships
In 2017, he broke through with 200m breaststroke silver at that year’s FINA World Championships. Clocking a best-ever 2:08.56 to edge U.S. counterpart Kevin Cordes.
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Fink racked up domestic wins across differing race distances. In 2017 he captured 100m breaststroke gold at the U.S. Winter Nationals, setting a championship record en route. The following year he finaled in the 50m, 100m, and 200m distances at the 2018 Nationals–underscoring his versatility.
Fink earned selection to the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru. There he’d vie for medals while representing American swimming on a multisport international stage.
Pan American Games and Olympics
At the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Nic Fink claimed silver in the 200m breaststroke while setting a personal record time of 2:08.16.
At the 2022 World Championships, Fink captured 100m breaststroke bronze in 58.65 seconds. Earlier he took 50m breast silver at the World Champs Trials, posting a lifetime best of 26.55. This foreshadowed strong showings across all distances on the global stage.
2023 saw the veteran swimmer continue to excel, winning the 50m breaststroke at the US International Trials in Indianapolis, Indiana. The victory qualified Fink for his 5th World Championships, underscoring world-class endurance despite nearing his mid-30s.
Paris Olympics Selection and World Aquatics Championships
At 30 years old, Nic Fink produced the swim of his life when it mattered most at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. In a dramatic 100m breaststroke final, Fink stormed home to touch the wall first in 58.57 seconds—a new lifetime best.
The comeback victory defeated reigning world champion Nicolo Martinenghi by 0.15 seconds, with Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty taking bronze. His first-ever World Championship gold punched Fink’s ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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“It’s incredible to be at this level at my age,” an emotional Fink remarked post-race, having first failed to qualify for the Olympics way back in 2012. “I’ve put in thousands of hours and endless work over my career, always focused on finding small ways to improve. To see it pay off with a world title and Olympic qualification is incredible.”
