The swimming leg of the Paris Olympics officially ended on 9th August. Caeleb Dressel might have had a disappointing stint at París La Défense Arena, but he had some much-needed downtime once he returned to the States. This was his first Summer Games berth as a father, so he spent as much time as he could with his son. “I’ve been glued to him in the past couple weeks.” But he also took the time to enjoy the joys of simple living. He ate a proper burger, spent time with his cows and dogs, and even mowed his lawn. 

So how did the 9x Olympic gold medalist make it to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway? The swimmer served as an honorary event official for the Cup Series race. In a conversation with SwimSwam’s Mel Stewart, the 28-year-old was asked about his experience. “Yeah, so what’s funny about that is so that was my first race in Daytona,” he stated. Interestingly, this was his first trip to Daytona. 

However, Caeleb Dressel has driven the course several times in a popular video game, and he had a good time. “I’m definitely going to be going back to the 500 in February. So I mean, just that treat from Toyota was so awesome and NASCAR too.” But what was the experience like for the Olympian? “I think we were in the NASCAR Suite. That was a little too fancy for me. I kind of wanted to be like in the crowd with my people, you know?” It looks like the swimmer is all about living that simple life.

Leading up to his appearance, the president of the track, Frank Kelleher, couldn’t be happier. “After his triumphant return to the Olympic stage this summer, we’re eager to welcome Caeleb Dressel to the World Center of Racing for the Coke Zero Sugar 400,” he stated. Kelleher further added that they couldn’t be prouder to welcome the Florida native back home and join them for the event. Who was the swimmer at the event with? 

Caeleb Dressel was accompanied by his wife, Meghan, and his son, August. 1500m Olympic gold medalist Bobby Finke hung out with the trio. After Lindsey Vonn, the 28-year-old was the first active Olympic gold medalist in 9 years to wave the green flag at a Cup Series race. Having grown close to Daytona, he definitely received a homecoming fitting for a world-class swimmer. Fresh off his Parisian stint, the swimmer hinted at something bigger. What was it?

Caeleb Dressel leaves the door wide open for another Olympic berth

After clinching 3 Olympic medals—2 gold and 1 silver. The swimmer took the opportunity to unwind with his compatriot and family when the chance at the Daytona International Speedway came up. However, fresh off the stint in the French capital, it’s obvious that the 28-year-old couldn’t get his mind off the pool. Will LA 2028 be on his radar? Does he look forward to racking up more golds in his ever-growing collection?

Caeleb Dressel announced he had every intention to “splash and dash” on his home turf. “I think maybe just the 50 free; put a little bit more muscle on; don’t have to be in a good shape.” If he’s looking to redeem himself, there’s no better place than doing it in front of his countrymen and women. 

The Olympian even reiterated how exhilarating it was to witness the red, white, and blue everywhere in Paris. It had him look forward to that same experience whenever the Summer Games take place in the States. “I can’t imagine actually having that same thing in the U.S. I think that would just be such a sweet way to end my career.” Up until the Paris Olympics, the 28-year-old only clinched gold medals. 

However, things turned out when he stepped foot into the French capital. Caeleb Dressel contested in 5 events: Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay, Men’s 50m Freestyle, Men’s 100m Butterfly, Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay, and Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay. But he couldn’t replicate his winning performance from the group in the individual events. Could he turn the tables around when LA2028 arrives?