WATCH: Caeleb Dressel shows off incredible reaction times during Stick Drop Challenge

Caeleb Dressel is arguably one of the fastest sprint swimmers and boasts incredibly fast reaction times, which has helped him break multiple world records. The American swimmer recently gave a glimpse of his skills, albeit during a Stick Drop Challenge.

Dressel teamed up with fellow US Olympian Natalie Hinds on Wednesday to announce the fun challenge. The nine-time Olympic champion was quick to catch the stick and was successful in his four attempts, catching all of them near his waist height.

The 28-year-old challenged fans to beat his reaction times, and whoever wins, would get an autographed cap and a keychain from him.

"CAN YOU BEAT MY REACTION TIME? 🏆 Here’s your chance to test your skills and WIN an autographed cap AND keychain 🔑!," he announced

Dressel is widely regarded as a sprinting phenomenon, partly due to his fast reaction time to the starting gun. He was the first swimmer in history to swim the first 15 meters of the 50-meter freestyle event in under five seconds and later broke Michael Phelps's decade-old 100-meter butterfly record as well.

The ten-time Olympic medalist also holds the world record in the 100m individual medley. Although his speed has relatively slowed down following the mental health break, the 28-year-old nonetheless managed to win three medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics including two golds.

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“It’s probably hurt more than helped me as a swimmer" - Caeleb Dressel on fatherhood

2024 Summer Olympics - Day 7 - Source: Getty

Caeleb Dressel welcomed his first child, son Augustus, in 2024, and while he is full of love and gratitude, he also believes that fatherhood has hurt his swimming career. Speaking in an interview with the Olympics.com, he said:

"It’s probably hurt more than helped me as a swimmer but it's definitely taught me patience. It's taught me to slow down. The only two things I've been able to do is father stuff and swimming in the run-up to Paris 2024."

The 28-year-old added that while being a father meant he had to adjust to a different routine, it was a role he loved stepping into.

“It's definitely a different routine, but that doesn't mean that it's bad. It's been very fulfilling and I’ve loved stepping into that role with Megan,” Dressel added.

The impact on Caeleb Dressel's swimming was visible during the U.S. Olympic Trials and the Paris Olympics as he was far off his personal best times. He was the defending champion in the 50m freestyle and the 100m butterfly events but failed to make it to the podium in both events.