Caeleb Dressel showed up at the Lucas Oil Stadium today and did what he does best- taking every opponent to the cleaners at his trademark events. After yesterday’s 50m free event in the US Olympic trials, today it was the 100m butterfly. The seven-time Olympic champion had to settle for a berth in the national squad to defend his Tokyo Olympics gold medal. Dressel took an astonishing 50.19 seconds to top the list. However, surprisingly, the 17-year-old Thomas Heilman came second, defeating favorites like Ryan Murphy and Zach Harting, clocking 50.80 seconds. Eventually, Heilman decimated Micahel Phelps’ National Age-based Group (NAG) record today. 

Previously, Michael Phelps’ 51.10 seconds had topped the 17-18 NAG record book in the 100m butterfly event. However, the teenage rocket from Charlottesville remained a solid 0.30 seconds ahead today. However, a few days ago, Thomas came nearer to Michael Phelps’ other record, and it was also based on age. 

On June 19, Thomas Heilman was entered into the Paris Olympics qualified list in the 200m butterfly event in the men’s category. However, with this qualification, he became the youngest swimmer to earn an Olympic ticket after Michael Phelps did at 15 years of age in 2000. Remember, Aaron Peirsol, the flamboyant at its best, had the same luck in the 2000 Olympics. However, he was two years older than the Flying Fish. As far as records are concerned, Thomas Heilman has heaped up another today. 

With his double qualification this time, Thomas Heilman has become the youngest American swimmer to achieve the same after Brian Goodell. Goodell’s record remained untouched for the last 48 years as he had made it in the 1976 Olympics. Definitely, the Cavalier Aquatics’ young gun will have to face a lot of expectations in the French capital. But for Caeleb Dressel, there had been no less pressure to handle. 

He entered the US Olympic swimming trials this year, being a decorated Olympian with multiple titles to defend. At the same time, he had to carry a stigma for his mental state. Today, Michael Phelps was present in the box and he witnessed the Gator’s performance in the 100m butterfly. In the aftermath, the expression said it all as Michael Phelps was stunned with his jaw wide open after seeing Caeleb Dressel pulling up the qualification in a stacked event.

 For Dressel as well, the moment was riveting to own. He defeated some of the best names today and he also swam alongside someone who has already earned the tag of a dark horse for the upcoming Parisian contest. Still, Caeleb Dressel knows how to keep his feet on the ground (or water?!). 

Is another Michael Phelps in the corner? Caeleb Dressel has the answer 

Caeleb Dressel knows the promptness of communities to term every American swimming standout as the next ‘Michael Phelps’. Even from time to time, he has been compared with the Flying Fish. Naturally, the 27-year-old is not in a mood to pay heed to such a comparison. Rather, he flouted any chance of seeing anyone closer to the legend like Michael Phelps. In a post-match press conference in the ongoing swimming trial, Dressel said a few things on it. 

He started the discussion with, “I mean, MP was… I don’t think we’re going to see another one of them for a while. A very, very long time, especially the fashion in which he did it and the longevity of his career as well… It was five [Olympics] where he was extremely dominant.” With that, he meant that he was never closer to the monuments Phelps had built. So Caeleb Dressel will try to find himself in the Paris Olympics. He has qualified for two individual events and one relay team. No matter what comes ahead, Caeleb Dressel will take inspiration from Michael Phelps and try to fill in the legacy he left behind.