U.S. Olympic Trials, Day 2 Finals: Nic Fink Holds Off Charging Field to Secure 100 Breast Win; Charlie Swanson Second

Nic Fink --Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

U.S. Olympic Trials, Day 2 Finals: Nic Fink Holds Off Charging Field to Secure 100 Breast Win; Charlie Swanson Second

When Nic Fink concluded his first Olympic experience in Tokyo with a fifth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke, his future in the sport was uncertain. He was not ready to retire, but perhaps it was time for the sport to take a backseat as he began a graduate program in chemical and electrical engineering at Georgia Tech. Perhaps soon enough, swimming would no longer be a priority as real life began.

But strangely, Fink kept getting faster, particularly in the shorter distances that had once been an afterthought compared to his 200. Suddenly, Fink was winning world titles, first in the 50 breast in 2022 and another one earlier this year in Doha, in a field missing China’s Qin Haiyang but including the three men who stood on the Olympic podium in 2021, including world-record holder Adam Peaty. Even after his wife, 2016 U.S. Olympian Melanie Margalis, retired, Fink kept going. Even at age 30, he saw no reason to stop swimming given his latest results.

Now, Fink is officially heading back to the Olympics, this time with plans of racing the world’s top sprint breaststrokers and chasing his first medal.

Fink was considered the strong favorite in the men’s 100 breaststroke entering the U.S. Olympic Trials, but the field tightened up considerably in the semifinal round, with less than a half-second separating the top-eight swimmers. In the final, Fink showed his strength and speed on the first 50, opening up a half-second edge on the field with his split of 32.00. Fink tightened up considerably down the stretch, his back-half split the second slowest in the field, but the veteran had enough of an edge to get to the wall first.

Fink finished in 59.08, holding off the field by just eight hundredths. He was well short of his best time of 58.36, which ranks No. 7 all-time, and of the time he clocked to win the world title four months ago (58.57, third in the world), but in the crucible of an Olympic Trials final, any concerns of time vanish.

Meanwhile, another veteran will be going to the Olympics for the first time after Charlie Swanson touched second in 59.16, closing in 31.43 to move from tied for fourth at the halfway point to finish second at the end, beating out Indiana’s Josh Matheny (59.23) by just seven hundredths.

Like Fink, Swanson kept going far beyond the expected expiration point of his swimming career. Swanson swam at the University of Michigan from 2016 through 2020, where his career was solid but not star-level with just one individual NCAA A-final performance in his career. In long course, he was the Pan American Games gold medalist in the 400 IM in 2019, and prior to Sunday evening, he had broken through to the American “A” team on one previous occasion, making the World Championships final in the 200 breast in 2022.

Swanson, now 26, was not on the radar as a serious contender in the 100 breast entering the meet, but over the years, he had just kept pushing. Then, he swam best times in both prelims and semifinals before his stellar finish produced a life-changing moment.

“Things that have been timed perfectly,” Swanson said. “COVID pushed [the Tokyo Olympics] back, so it was three years for the next quad. I made Worlds the next year, so I was like, ‘Alright, two more years.’ I was training down in Texas and then came back to Michigan. I knew I had more in me. I had the taper blues coming into this, first taper with a new coach, didn’t taper all year. I didn’t know what to think, but I’m really happy it’s gone well so far.

Liam Bell, the NCAA champion in the 100-yard breast, dropped his long course best time by more than two seconds at this meet, finished fourth in 59.40 while Michael Andrew, the American-record holder at 58.14, faded to eighth (1:00.11).

Fink pulled off the win in his first year swimming with a new program after moving to Dallas to accommodate Margalis’ coaching job at SMU. Thus, Fink began training with the Mustang men’s team under head coach Greg Rhodenbaugh. He began his first full-time job, working remotely and often at odd hours around his practice schedule.

“It’s really easy when everyone’s kind of on board with what you do and the method you go about doing it,” Fink said. “Rhody and the SMU staff and the kids have been super accommodating and flexible. If work gets in the way and calls meetings, Rhody is there, or I’m with [SMU women’s coach] Ozzie [Quevedo] sometimes. It’s kind of a group effort in the pool. In work, they know I’ll get my stuff done and that my hours may be a little bit different than other people’s. I’ve definitely answered texts at weights. They let me know when things need to get done by, and I kind of work around that schedule.”

Through those changes, Fink kept to the approach that has sustained and rejuvenated his swimming career since Tokyo. “Everything is icing on the cake, no matter what happens,” Fink said. “Yeah, I still have goals, I still want to accomplish certain things, but if I were to retire today — that’d be terrible timing — but if I were to retire today, be happy with what I’ve accomplished and walk away satisfied. I think that’s a healthier mindset for me in particular to kind of approach.

“Making my second Olympic team is great, and I’m really looking forward to it, but I think I’ve been able to enjoy the ride, too.”

Following his victory, Fink celebrated with an announcement as he pretended to hold a baby on deck: he and Margalis were expecting, with a baby boy due in September. Thus, good timing to make his second Olympic team on Father’s Day. “Father’s Day is a day to celebrate all the things have done for their kids,” he said. “I feel like I’ve just been helping Mel out. I feel like I haven’t earned it yet. Next one will feel like a real one after diapers and late nights.”

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Swimmer

10 days ago

They’re not winning the medley relay

-1