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Caeleb Dressel qualified for the Tokyo Olympics and also broke the US Open record on Friday at the US Swimming Trials 2021. This will be his second appearance at the Olympics. He will be the favorite to win a gold medal in the 100m freestyle in Japan.
Caeleb Dressel, the 2019 world champion, started as the favorite to grab the top spot. He clocked a record-breaking 47.39 seconds on Friday. Zach Apple came in second behind Dressel and also made it to the US team for the Tokyo Olympics.
Earlier, before landing in Omaha for the trials, Caeleb Dressel said he still feels like the 15-year-old who competed at the 2012 US Olympic Trials.
"I got to swim in the same pool as Ryan (Lochte) back then, I even shared the pool with Michael (Phelps)", he was quoted as saying.
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Caeleb Dressel will be the man to watch out for at Tokyo Olympics
Caeleb Dressel is arguably the most dominant active swimmer and his win in Omaha bears testament to the claim. The 47.39 seconds he recorded is the second fastest time clocked this year. Russia's 20-year-old Kliment Kolesnikov has clocked 47.31 seconds and is currently at the top of the the 100m freestyle list for 2021.
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However, in the bigger picture, the US swimmer holds the fastest time in history outside of the super-suit era of the late 2000s. Caeleb Dressel is also the fastest man in the 50m freestyle and is the world record holder in the 100m butterfly as well. He will be additionally vying for a spot in these two events over the next two days of the US Swimming Trials 2021.
According to reports, experts have predicted Caeleb Dressel will win at least seven events at the Tokyo Olympics. If he manages to do so, he will join the elite list of swimmers who have seven podium finishes in one Olympics. The list currently includes Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi.
READ: Explaining US swimming sensation Caeleb Dressel's tattoos
The 24-year-old Dressel, however, isn't worried about the medal. He, in fact, gifted a few of his 15 medals from the last two world championships to people close to him.
"I don’t very much care for the limelight,” he was quoted as saying.
