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Nic Fink Edges Own American Record In Men’s 50 Breast Semis

2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Nic Fink clipped his weeks-old American Record in the semi-finals of the men’s 50 breaststroke at the 2021 Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, easily qualifying for the final in second place overall.

Fink registered a time of 25.68 from the second semi, downing his national record of 25.72 set at the beginning of the month in the International Swimming League (ISL) final in Eindhoven.

The 28-year-old has now been under the 26-second barrier seven times, a feat no American had ever accomplished until just over two years ago.

Ian Finnerty became the first American sub-26 during the first ISL season in November 2019, clocking 25.99, and Fink then took ownership of the record during the league final the following month in 25.75—a time he didn’t lower until the Season 3 final on December 3.

Fink qualifies second into the final behind world record holder Ilya Shymanovich (25.55), who Fink actually beat head-to-head in the ISL Final two and a half weeks ago.

Turkey’s Emre Sakci initially put up the fastest time of the session from the first semi-final in 25.52, but ended up getting disqualified.

Earlier in the session, Fink won gold on the U.S. men’s 4×50 medley relay, as they tied the Russians in a Championship Record time of 1:30.51. Fink notably split a scintillating 25.13 on the breaststroke leg, the fastest in the field.

The 2020 Olympian and UGA alum won individual gold earlier in the meet in the men’s 200 breast, becoming the first American man to win a breaststroke event since 2004, and was also the bronze medalist in the 100 breast. Having also added a silver medal on the American mixed 4×50 medley relay, Fink has a chance to walk away with six medals at the competition, with the 50 breast final tomorrow night followed by the men’s 4×100 medley relay.

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Shaq
2 years ago

Pause

Mark Nedza
2 years ago

Way to go Nic! Way to Go Dawgs!

Time Keeper
2 years ago

I still feel that he would have been the fastest 100 American Breaststroker in Tokyo

anonymous
Reply to  Time Keeper
2 years ago

and yet he didn’t even qualify to swim it and was only 5th in the 200

Ghost
Reply to  anonymous
2 years ago

Only?

anonymous
Reply to  Ghost
2 years ago

Michael Andrew was 4th in 100 breast and 50 free at Olympics and broke the American Record twice in the 100 breast. So yes “only”

Ghost
Reply to  anonymous
2 years ago

You should only be 5th in the world in something

anonymous
Reply to  Ghost
2 years ago

He was 7th in the world. He placed 5th at Olympics.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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