Dressel’s haul brings Phelps comparisons
Latest U.S. star not as driven about smashing records as legend
GWANGJU, South Korea — Once again, Caeleb Dressel stepped atop the medals podium, his blonde locks swept to one side. The 22year-old swimmer accepted another gold medal and pumped his hands in the air. The anthem played.
It’s a familiar, recurring scene, one that the swimming world will likely see a lot more of these next 13 months. With Monday’s win in the 50-meter butterfly, Dressel secured his second gold medal of these FINA World Championships. He has a chance here to break the record of seven titles at a single world championships. Dressel, in fact, could win as many as nine events in Gwangju, which already stirred speculation that he ultimately could aim at one of swimming’s most hallowed marks at next summer’s Tokyo Games: Michael Phelps’ eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games.
And yet Dressel, thoughtful and introspective, has zero interest in contemplating record books or making history.
“I don’t come to meets to count medals,” he said Monday night. “It’s not what I do. It’s just not really for me. If it was me in the water and my coach, I’d be totally happy with that. And nothing else.”
For now, the rest of the swimming world, however, can enjoy the speculation and what-ifs. Each time Dressel dives into the pool, he seems to further stoke the possibilities. Monday’s race might have been his biggest obstacle in Gwangju. He won seven world titles two years ago but had finished fourth in the 50 fly in Budapest.
“A lot of people have reminded me that I didn’t win this in ‘17,” he joked Monday.
Dressel crushed the field in Gwangju, posting the second-fastest time in history — 22.35 seconds — and setting a U.S. record. The win marked the first time an American swimmer had ever won the event at a world championships.
While that distance isn’t offered at the Olympics, Dressel’s other core events are — including the 100 fly and the 50 and 100 freestyle races — which means there’s a chance he’ll pursue seven or eight in Tokyo.
The Phelps comparisons are inevitable, but they aren’t perfect. Dressel’s program would be markedly different from what Phelps did in 2008. Phelps won five individual titles in Beijing, whereas Dressel would likely only be targeting three or four, plus as many as four relays. One of the relays Dressel might swim there is a mixed-gender event that will be staged for the first time in Tokyo. If he wants to take aim at eight, Dressel would likely have to add an individual race like the 200 free.
“If you’re talking about maybe eight medals, on paper it’s similar,” says Nathan Adrian, the five-time Olympic gold medalist who has won relay medals teaming with both swimmers. “But from a personality standpoint, what he’s swimming and who he is as a person, he’s definitely not trying to be Michael.”
Phelps was hyper-focused and hypercompetitive, a rare talent who always had his eyes on making history and often found himself immersed in a bubble of sorts. Dressel is a bit more introspective about his mission in and out of the pool.
“For me, it’s just kind of a chase for self-improvement in and out of the water. That’s why I do enjoy the sport,” he said. “You’re never going to reach perfection in the sport unless you’re hitting zero seconds, which is literally impossible.”