Katie Ledecky continued her dominance in the distance events at the U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials 2024. The seven-time Olympic champion won a total of four events inside the Lucas Oil stadium and also qualified for a relay event as well.
On the other hand, it wasn't a usual busy schedule for Caleb Dressel. The seven-time Olympic champion suffered a loss in the 100m freestyle final and will not be defending his title at the Paris Olympics 2024. However, he still has the qualification to swim in three events in Paris.
Here's a list of events Katie Ledecky is qualified to swim in at the Paris Olympics 2024:
- 200m freestyle
- 400m freestyle
- 800m freestyle
- 1500m freestyle
- 4x200m freestyle relay.
However, Katie Ledecky has claimed that she's unlikely to swim the 200m individual freestyle event at the Paris Olympics 2024 to manage her workload.
List of events Caeleb Dressel is qualified to swim at the Paris Olympics 2024:
- 50m freestyle
- 100m butterfly
- 4x100m relay.
How many medals can Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel win at the Paris Olympics 2024?
Even if Katie Ledecky swims in all the five events she has qualified in for the Paris Olympics 2024, she will be the favorite for the gold medal in all of the events. Ledecky holds world records in 800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle events and is a former world record holder in 400m freestyle.
Medals in 800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, and 400m freestyle are almost guaranteed for the 27-year-old. Over the 4x200m freestyle relay, USA has once again a strong team led by Ledecky, and they should be able to repeat a silver medal from the Tokyo Olympics if not better. If Katie Ledecky does come back to America with four Olympic medals, she will become the most decorated female swimmer of all time, and the second most decorated American swimmer after Michael Phelps.
Caeleb Dressel swept five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. He emerged victorious in 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay. However, the 27-year-old is only qualified in three events this time. But it's very unlikely he will return with less than three medals from Paris.
Dressel hasn't been in the best form of his life after the Tokyo Olympics. He underwent a year-long break from mid-2022 to 2023, and while he seems to be getting closer to his best, Dressel recently claimed he might not ever break his personal best timings again. Nonetheless, he is the defending champion in every event he will race at the Paris Olympics, and if not the gold, he will surely return with silver or bronze.
If Dressel does return with three medals from Paris, he will overtake Gary Hall Jr. as the eighth-most decorated American Olympic swimmer of all time.