PARIS — Nic Fink is having one of the best weeks of his life.
The U.S men’s swimmer and former University of Georgia star tied for the silver medal in the 100-meter breaststroke on Sunday. He finished just two-hundredths of a second behind Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy, who took home the gold medalist.
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Congratulations have been pouring in for Fink since Sunday. During an interview, fellow UGA alum and broadcaster Maria Taylor surprised Fink with a special phone call with another DGD.
Head football coach Kirby Smart was on the other end.
“Wow this is very cool. Thanks so much.” Fink said.
“Go Dawgs! Silver medalist. We’re pumped ... I was a breaststroker back in high school, I was pumped,” Smart told the Olympic medalist.
“I’m happy to continue on that legacy then,” he replied.
So this just happened, during the Olympics. Let's gooooo #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/n1MKLRxniS
— Elite. Dawg. (@EliteDawgNation) July 30, 2024
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Fink wasn’t sure if he would get a shot at a medal. He didn’t make the Olympic team during his first two trial attempts and he finished fifth in the 200-meter breaststroke at the delayed 2021 Tokyo Summer Games.
He also balanced his job as a full-time engineer while training. Fink earned his bachelor’s degree from UGA and his master’s from Georgia Tech.
The medal likely won’t be the proudest moment for Fink this year. Melanie Margalis Fink, who is also a former Olympic swimmer and UGA alum, is pregnant with the couple’s first child.
She couldn’t make the trip to Paris with her due date in two months, but Fink knows she was just as excited as him on Sunday.
“I think she probably got her heart rate up as much as I did,” Fink told the Associated Press. “I’m hoping she’s able to relax a little bit and stay hydrated and lay down because she was probably jumping up and down.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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