"A great race for Connor ... So proud. Then a walk around Olympic Park. Fantastic. This is a great experience. Thank you Connor!" ~ Olympian swimmer Connor Jaeger's dad, via Twitter, on his son's race in the finals Saturday.

Medal or not, Connor Jaeger is seen as a hometown hero.

The 21-year-old graduate of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School and incoming junior at Michigan University came in sixth in the 2012 Summer Olympics 1,500 meter freestyle swim category in Saturday's finals.

He did not win a medal, but friends and fans of the swimmer could not be more proud of Jaeger's accomplishment, stressing that he's sixth in the world, with a time of 14:52.99, and the only American to qualify for the Olympic in the finals in his category.

A visit to Molly Maguire's pub in Rumson and a drive through the area showed clear signs of the community's winning feeling for Connor Jaeger. The Fair Haven firehouse sign, quickly posted by Tom Kirman after the race, said it all: "Connor Jaeger ... 6th in the world ... 1st in Fair Haven."

It's a proud community back home, Connor Jaeger!

Take a look at the gallery of "after the race" photos above.