The swimming community has multiple legendary entities in the realm, and the American swimmer Caeleb Dressel is one of them. Dressel recently on day 3 of the US Open swimming made his graceful comeback in the 100m Butterfly. He fired up the stadium in Greensboro after delivering his outstanding performance.
The crowd stood up, cheering for him after he touched the finish line first. Dressel after this win finally did justice to his name, marking his comeback from a much-needed break. He was suffering from severe mental health issues and after this win, he opened up about his feelings for his elegant return to the top roster.
Caeleb Dressel opens up about his feelings
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Caeleb Dressel’s coach has been continuously believing in his skills and Caeleb proved him right with this win. He cruised towards the finish line to nab the title of the 100m Butterfly and left behind some of the ideal swimmers. He clinched gold by clocking a time of 51.31 and this was his first win since the 2022 Championships. After this, he spoke his heart out and expressed his feelings about the win.
🇺🇸ケイレブ・ドレッセル US Open 100Flyで2022年世界水泳以来の優勝
「速いタイムを見るのはいつだってエキサイティングなものだね。ボーナスみたいなもの。トレーニングはうまくいっている。いいところにいる。戻ってこれて嬉しいよ。今季この時点で思っていたよりも少し速いタイムを出せている」 pic.twitter.com/4NXTQ0Ab1D
— 競泳NEWS (@swimcoverage) December 2, 2023
The SwimCoverage took to their X account where they shared the video of Dressel speaking about getting back to the winner circle. He expressed, “It’s always exciting to see a fast time, it’s like a bonus. Training has been going well, and I’m in a good place”.
Adding about his training, he further expressed, “Training’s been going great, so it’s a little cherry on top to see last night and tonight some pretty good time. So, we are in a good spot”. Dressel was overwhelmed as he reached the finish line faster than he thought he would. Apart from this, he also spoke about being a dad. This comeback after the mental struggles he faced is truly commendable.
The mental health struggles of Dressel
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Dressel started facing mental health issues ever since he stepped into the national spotlight as a senior in high school and a top recruit for the University of Florida.
In Tokyo 2020, all eyes were on Dressel with the absence of Phelps. The pressure created here was one reason for his stress and anxiety. The prodigy made the courageous decision to take a break from competitive swimming to keep his mental health as his number one priority.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
He suffered from depression and anxiety and even had panic attacks. Dressel has always been vocal about these issues and came out in front of everyone. After such struggles, this comeback at the 2023 US Open meet is an extraordinary accomplishment.
Watch this story: Swimming GOAT Michael Phelps Applauds the Young Prodigy Who Broke the 200m LCM Record After 22 Years