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2019 US MALE SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: CAELEB DRESSEL
Caeleb Dressel (photo: Rafael Domeyko)
After a rocky 2018 Pan Pacs, Caeleb Dressel came back with a vengeance at the 2019 FINA World Championships. Dressel won 8 total medals, the most won by any swimmer in history at a single World Championships meet. That included 4 individual gold, 2 relay golds, and 2 relay silvers.
His individual campaign at Worlds saw Dressel sweep the sprint butterflies and sprint freestyles. He set new American Records in the 50 free, 100 free, and 50 fly. Dressel set his first individual World Record of his career in the 100 fly semifinals, breaking the mark formerly set by Olympic legend Michael Phelps. He finished just over a tenths shy of his record to win finals. Dressel is now the back-to-back champion in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly, and in a challenging year for the U.S. men at the World Championships, he was the only American male to win individual gold.
Dressel’s relay golds came in the men’s 4×100 free relay and the mixed 4×100 free relay. In the mixed free relay, he led off as the Americans set a new World Record. Dressel earned silvers as a part of the USA squad in the mixed 4×100 medley relay and men’s 4×100 medley relay. His fly split on the men’s medley was the fastest 100 fly relay split in history.
Dressel also made waves in the ISL’s inaugural season for the Cali Condors. At the ISL Finale, he broke his first short course meters World Record as he won the 50 free. He also set the U.S. Open and American Records in the 50 fly and 100 free, and was named the Championship MVP.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
In no particular order
- Zach Apple– At 2019 Worlds, Apple earned 4 relay medals. He produced a 46.86 on the men’s 4×100 free relay to help them to gold. He also earned gold in the mixed 4×100 free relay, silver in the men’s 4×100 medley relay, and bronze in the 4×200 free relay. At the 2019 World University Games, Apple took gold in the 100 free and 200 free. He helped the Americans to relay golds there in the men’s 4×100 free, men’s 4×200 free, and men’s 4×100 medley.
- Ryan Held– At 2019 U.S. Nationals, Held had a breakthrough performance in the 100 free. He hadn’t swum his best in the 100 free since he qualified for Rio in 2016, but he swam nearly a second under that time at Nationals, setting a new U.S. Open Record. He’s now the 3rd fastest American man in history in the event.
- Jay Litherland – With all eyes on the defending World Champion in the 200 and 400 IMs Chase Kalisz, Litherland broke through and took silver in the 400 IM in Gwangju in 4:09.22. The men’s 400 IM globally is not a very deep event at the moment, and Litherland this summer was the only one within striking distance of Japan’s Daiya Seto in that event. Seto is the presumed favorite to win in front of a home crowd in Tokyo.
Previous Winners:
- 2013 – Ryan Lochte
- 2014 – Connor Jaeger
- 2015 – Michael Phelps
- 2016 – Michael Phelps
- 2017 – Caeleb Dressel
- 2018 – Ryan Murphy
- 2019 – Caeleb Dressel
What about Joe Schooling?
What about Tom Brady? He won the super bowl!
I thought Sarah won MVP but just realised that was for the whole season , not the final.
Also can’t believe Dressel was the only male gold medal winner for USA at world champs .
My top 5:
1)Caeleb Dressel. 2)Ryan Murphy. 3)Jay Litherland. 4)Zach Apple. 5)Chase Kalsiz
The best US male swimmer without WC medal: Shaine Casas.
What about our lord and savior Dean.
No mortal award deserves our lord Dean.
Just In: Caeleb Dressel finishes in a tie for 10th (with LSU QB Joe Burrow in the “AP 2019 Male Athlete of the Year” balloting. NBA Star Kawhi Leonard was the winner.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/national/story/2019-12-27/2019-male-athlete-of-the-year-voting?_amp=true
What an honor for Joe! He must be stoked to be on the same level as Caeleb
Besides Dressel, no American man did that much individually at Worlds. I expect them to step up for Tokyo.
4 years ago，the only one was ryan lochte.
I think you meant 8 years ago in Shanghai…time flies!
yes!
Wow – I didn’t realize he was the only one to win a gold in Kazan, yikes!
“In the mixed free relay, he anchored the Americans to a new World Record.”
I believe he was the lead off for the relay.
You are correct.
‘The men’s 400 IM globally is not a very deep event at the moment’
Ryan lochte: ‘Hold my beer belly’