Caeleb Dressel Affirms Commitment to Train for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Focusing on 50 Free
08/25/2024 04:05 PM
By Nicole Miller on SwimSwam
While making an appearance at the Daytona International Speedway, American star Caeleb Dressel affirmed his commitment to swimming through the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Dressel, who just turned 28 on August 16, told reporters that he most likely would look to reduce his event lineup for Los Angeles, with his plan currently being to focus on the 50 freestyle.
“It has always been one of my dreams to compete on American soil at a championship meet,” Dressel said. “So, yes, my eyes are on 2028. I don't think it's going to be a full-event lineup. I think maybe just the 50 free, put a little bit more muscle on, don't have to be in as good a shape. So maybe look forward to just doing the splash-and-dash. That might be a good time for me.”
The statement from Dressel comes just weeks after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which many were theorizing might be his last Olympics. Dressel first competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, winning gold medals as a member of the men’s 4×100 medley and 4×100 freestyle relays. After in international breakout in 2017 that saw him dominate the World Championships, Dressel went on to win 5 gold medals in Tokyo, including individual golds in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, and 100 freestyle. Despite seemingly being at the top of the world in Tokyo, Dressel’s world suddenly shifted when he pulled out of the 2022 World Championships, citing mental health concerns. Following an 8-month break from swimming and relative silence towards the media, Dressel reemerged in mid-2023 with a new mindset. Only weeks after his return to competition, Dressel competed at the 2023 US National Championship, but failed to qualify for the 2023 World Championships. Despite that, he continued to train and then qualified for the 2024 US Olympic Team, his first international roster in 2 years, making both the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly, also punching spots in the 4×100 freestyle relay and 4×100 medley relay.
In Paris, Dressel didn’t have his best performance indivudually, finishing 6th in the 50 freestyle and failing to advance to the final in the 100 butterfly. However, he won gold medals as a member of the men’s 4×100 free relay and mixed 4×100 medey relay, and added a silver in the men’s 4×100 medley relay. Following his swim in the 100 butterfly, cameras captured Dressel in an emotional embrace with one of the Team USA staff members, leading many to assume that he would be retiring following the Games. However, it now appears that Dressel still has plans for his swimming career.
"Not the exact results I wanted from the games this year, individually, but that's how the sport goes sometimes," he said. "Sometimes it's not your week, but I'm holding my head high. It's really nice being home. I hope I made my country proud and hope I did my job on relays."
If Dressel continues on to, and qualifies for Los Angeles, he would be just shy of turning 32 years-old at the start of the Olympic competition. In Paris, breaststroker Nic Fink was the oldest member of the US squad, turning 31 just a few weeks before the Olympic Games. However, there have been many older swimmers who have continued to find success in the 50 freestyle, even this summer. 30-year-old Cameron McEvoy won the 50 freestyle in Paris after shifting his training to only focus on the event. Behind McEvoy, 33-year-old Florent Manaudou won a bronze medal in the event, marking his 4th-straight medal in the event.
Later this week, Dressel will be making an appearance on the SwimSwam podcast to discuss his performances in Paris and his future plans. Is there anything in particular that you want to hear Caeleb talk about? Let us know below.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Caeleb Dressel Affirms Commitment to Train for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Focusing on 50 Free
