Nick Finch '24 Recruiting Profile

If someone had told me that a crowded chlorine-filled swimming pool would be my second home, I would have thought they were joking. My initial fear of what felt like the depths of the ocean soon became the sport that changed my life. I found my love for the sport when I was eight years old but was unaware of my true talent. 

My dream to become a world-class swimmer started when I was twelve years old. At such a young age I played several sports that I loved but found myself gravitating toward swimming.

I see myself as an athlete who has a real feel of the water. Throughout my swimming career, I have always been able to pinpoint what feels natural and awkward in my races. This has allowed me to improve and develop each segment within a race, whether it is the start, turn or finish. I am consistently trying to push myself past my limits to see how far I can go.

A sport like swimming requires a lot of commitment and time. I believe I have found the right balance in managing my time for studying and training as illustrated by my recent GSCE exam results where I got the equivalent of a 3.8 GPA while also fulfilling my swimming commitments such as for Swim England training camps, club competitions, and school galas. 

Although swimming is seen as an individual sport, I am also an active member of both my school and club relay teams. At the British Summer Nationals, July 2022 my team came second in the 4x100 IM Relay in which I swam the Butterfly leg and came fourth in the 4x100 Freestyle Relay. 

I have been chosen to join the Swim England: National Youth Development Programme. This Junior Elite National Swimming camp comprises 120 swimmers (boys, girls and para-swimmers) aged 15-16 years, and will take place over the next 6 months at the University of Loughborough, England, as well as online.

I also hold the UK Junior record (short-course) for the 50m Butterfly, something I achieved in December 2021 when I was 15 years old, at the England Winter Championships, in Sheffield, UK, with a time of 24.09.

I am looking forward to an opportunity to study and train in the US given it has the best coaches globally and best-in-class programmes and facilities.