2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
Nic Fink made history on Sunday when he tied two-time defending British champion Adam Peaty for silver in the 100 breaststroke (59.05) just a hair behind gold medalist Nicolo Martinenghi (59.03).
At 31 years old, Fink became the oldest first-time U.S. Olympic swimming medalist in modern history — and the oldest in 120 years if you count 36-year-old Edgar Adams and his silver medal in the “plunge for distance” from the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis.
The plunge for distance was a diving long jump event with results based on distance traveled underwater. William Paul Dickey won gold with a distance of 19.05 meters while Adams finished 2nd at 17.526 meters. The plunge for distance was never contested again at the Olympics after 1904.
The men’s 100 breast final came down to a photo finish, with less than a tenth of a second separating the top four finishes and just two hundredths separating the podium. Peaty became the first man ever to capture three Olympic medals in the event.
A six-time world champion in long course, Fink had never won an Olympic medal before tonight. A full-time engineer with a 9-to-5 job, the University of Georgia graduate is the oldest member of the U.S. swimming squad and serves as team captain. Fink turned 31 earlier this month after winning the 100 breast at Olympics Trials last month with a time of 59.08.
It’s the second Olympics for Fink, who placed 6th in the 200 breast (2:07.93) at the Tokyo 2021 edition. Since his Olympic debut, he has continued to build momentum by claiming bronze in the 100 breast at the 2022 World Championships (58.65) and silver at last summer’s Worlds (58.72).
David Plummer was 30 years old when he won bronze in the 100 backstroke (52.40) behind Ryan Lochte (51.97) at his first Olympics in Rio back in 2016.
Source link : https://swimswam.com/nic-fink-becomes-oldest-u-s-olympic-swimming-medalist-since-1904-plunge-for-distance/
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Publish date : 2024-07-28 21:23:07
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