Caeleb Dressel Looks Like Himself Again, Winning At Olympic Swim Trials

Caeleb Dressel has earned his first individual race of the Paris Games, winning the men’s 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — After a long layoff and all the doubts about whether he’d reclaim his place as one of the world’s greatest swimmers, Caeleb Dressel is beginning to look like himself again.

Dressel earned his first individual race of the Paris Games, powering to a relatively easy victory in the men’s 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials Friday night.

One of the biggest stars in Tokyo with five gold medals, Dressel finished third in the first individual event, the 100 freestyle, which relegated him to the relay at that distance.

But he’ll get a chance to defend his 50 free title in Paris, blowing away the field in the frantic dash from one end of the pool to the other at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s tough. That was a tough one,” Dressel said. “I was not super-confident until I got up on that block. There’s only so much you can do in the 50. It’s head down and go fast.”