Caeleb Dressel Swims Season-Best 49.80 100 Free At FAST Senior Open

2023 FAST Senior Open

  • June 3 to June 4, 2023
  • Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training, Ocala, Florida
  • LCM (50m)
  • Full results under “FAST Senior Open” on MeetMobile

This past weekend, seven-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel competed at the FAST Senior Open, where he finished second overall in the 100 free with a time of 49.80 and recorded splits of 24.24/25.56. He also was entered in the 50 free and 100 fly, but MeetMobile has indicated that he no-showed both events. The meet was a timed finals meet.

The FAST Senior Open was Dressel’s second competition since he abruptly dropped out of the 2022 World Championships for non-COVID-related health reasons. In May 2023, he raced at the Atlanta Classic, where he went 22.57 in the 50 free final and 52.41 in the 100 fly final. He also went a 50.29 100 free and a 2:05.18 200 fly in prelims, though he did not race finals of either event. In the 100 free, he had qualified for the ‘A’ final but ended up no-showing it.

Dressel was not the only big name swimming at this meet, as many of his training partners at the University of Florida also got racing in. The man who beat Dressel in the 100 free was Macguire McDuff, who clocked a 49.26 to take the win. He was just 0.2 seconds off his best time of 49.06, which was set at Futures last summer. McDuff also entered in the 200 free but ended up no-showing the race.

Kieran Smith swam and won both the 100 back and 200 IM. In the 100 back, he set a personal best of 55.18, which shaves over a second off his previous best time of 56.81 from 2018. He then clocked a 1:59.48 in the 200 IM, which was his fastest time since the 2020(1) U.S. Olympic trials, where he set his best time of 1:57.23. Sweeping the breaststroke events was Aleksas Savickas, who went times of 1:01.07 and 2:12.26 in the 100 and 200 breast respectively. He was significantly faster in both of his races this weekend than he was at the Atlanta Classic, where he clocked a 1:01.80 in the 100 breast and a 2:14.41 in the 200 breast.

On the women’s side, it was Isabel Ivey who won the 100 free in a time of 55.35, which was just 0.05 seconds off her season best. Placing second was rising Florida junior Ekaterina Nikonova, who went 55.60. Nikonova also won the 50 free in a time of 25.54.

Emma Weyant set a season-best time in the 200 free, going 2:00.83. Previously, her fastest time of the 2022-23 season was the 2:01.65 she swam at the Atlanta Classic. In fact, her swim from this weekend was the fastest she’s been in the 200 free since 2020(1) Olympic trials. Also posting a strong swim was Mabel Zavaros, who just over half a second off her 400 IM personal best and went a 4:40.49 to win the event.

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Summer is Titmus’ Sleep Paralysis Demon
1 year ago

Fellow Swiftie, Emma Weyant, has reached her peak.

mcswammerstein
1 year ago

Wow he no showed? Im shocked

Andrew
1 year ago

Still doesn’t change the fact that he quit on his team in Budapest

Also, this is 2017 schooling all over again

RealSlimThomas
Reply to  Andrew
1 year ago

I would describe Schooling’s situation as more “I accomplished my dream..what do I do now?” whereas Dressel’s situation is more “I’m not incredibly happy right now. Take a break, reset, and come back refocused.”

Of course I am putting words in their mouths, but I genuinely think there are different.

Schooling also became a Singapore celebrity and hero. I’m sure there were plenty of distractions and sponsorship opportunities that lead to less time training.

Andrew
Reply to  RealSlimThomas
1 year ago

Out of the pool I’d agree, but I’m mainly referring to the dropoff that occurred in the pool, regardless of reason

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Andrew
1 year ago

But that makes it a bad comp.

Schooling is closer to Dmitriy Balandin than he is Dressel.

612
Reply to  Andrew
1 year ago

When downvotes are upvotes, through the eyes of a troll.

Hank
1 year ago

This might be the most low pro leadup to Worlds trials ever. The time certainly appears pedestrian. Something in the 48 mid range would look more dangerous.

Jimmyswim
Reply to  Hank
1 year ago

He apparently told Lochte recently that he’s in the best physical and mental space of his life right now. That could mean he’s going to surprise at trials. Or it could just be one of those platitudes that someone says.

Hank
Reply to  Jimmyswim
1 year ago

The hope is that Dressel is in very heavy training now and the slow times reflect that. However, he may be on a longer trajectory targeting Paris 2024 not Fukoaka 2023

KEVINM
1 year ago
KEVINM
Reply to  KEVINM
1 year ago
Ol' Longhorn
1 year ago

Who woulda thought Zane Grothe and Dressel would be toss-ups in the 100 free? I really hope he hasn’t Schooling’d. I hope this isn’t a Masters “these are your new best times” kinda thing. But I guess if he’s in a happy place — and who would know, given his radio silence — that’s great. Maybe pick up a construction job like Chalmers.

Paul
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
1 year ago

He is just coming back into training. Also dressel isn’t normally that fast in season.

Markster
1 year ago

Come on Caeleb this is a butterfly time…

Sam M
Reply to  Markster
1 year ago

Looks like he was trying to even split the race

RealSlimThomas
Reply to  Sam M
1 year ago

I agree. Liendo swam a 49.0 yesterday going out 1 second faster. Dressel came back .2 faster.

DK99
1 year ago

So is this guy just allergic to swimming whenever there are cameras in the building?

Ob man
Reply to  DK99
1 year ago

Dude won wot like 5 Olympic golds? Chill dawg roof

About Yanyan Li

Yanyan Li

Although Yanyan wasn't the greatest competitive swimmer, she learned more about the sport of swimming by being her high school swim team's manager for four years. She eventually ventured into the realm of writing and joined SwimSwam in January 2022, where she hopes to contribute to and learn more about …

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