Caeleb Dressel No-Shows 200 Free on Wednesday Morning at US Trials

2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

American superstar swimmer Caeleb Dressel was a no-show for prelims of the 200 free on Wednesday, leaving an empty lane in a late heat of the race.

He was one of three no-shows from later heats of the race, along with NC State’s Luke Miller and SwimMAC Carolina’s Baylor Nelson, but of the three, Dressel’s swim was the most-anticipated.

Blake Pieroni recently had knee surgery, and Townley Haas and Andrew Seliskar each retired recently, which leaves the U.S. with a bit of a gap in this race as they chase the Brits and their pair of 1:44 flat-starts. The U.S. didn’t medal in this race at last summer’s Olympic Games, finishing in 4th place. That marked the first time that the American 800 free relay finished off the Olympic podium in history.

The Russian ban from the World Championships makes a medal this summer in Budapest likely, and absences from Australia make even silver possible. But the most realistic way for the U.S. to chase gold would have been a full-strength Dressel living up to the 200 free that everyone hopes he has in him, but that he’s never really proven he has.

Dressel didn’t swim this relay at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, where the final came after the final of the 100 free. Given his form in Tokyo, and a 1:47 from Zach Apple there, Dressel would have likely closed the six-tenths of a second gap to the Australians and Russians, even if he’s not a full-blown hammer in the event. He did swim it in prelims at the US Olympic Trials, marking 1:46.63 before scratching the semifinals.

Him swimming the relay at the 2022 World Championships would have been a longer shot. The finals of the 800 free relay comes in the same session as the semi-finals of the 50 free and 100 fly, and after some ‘light duty’ following last summer’s Olympics, he doesn’t appear to be in triple form.

With a change to the Olympic schedule coming for Paris 2024, expanding from 8 days to 9 days, there could be a better opportunity for Dressel to finally make the jump into this race. But for now, it will remain just a hopeful wish as Carson Foster’s 1:45.57 leads the way into finals.

Dressel won the 100 free on Tuesday in a time of 47.79 and still has remaining entries in the 50 fly, 100 fly, and 50 free: all races where he is the defending World Champion.

Other High-Seed DFS’ on Wednesday Morning:

  • Olivia Smoliga was a no-show for the women’s 200 free (#3 seed) and the women’s 200 back (#7 seed).
  • Claire Curzan was a no-show for the women’s 200 back (#5 seed)
  • Daniel Carr was a no-show for the men’s 200 back (#4 seed), as was Nicolas Albiero.
  • Both Kate Douglass (#3 seed) and Mallory Comerford were no-shows in the women’s 50 fly.

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Ian
1 year ago

Don’t think you can read to much into this ,he was not happy with his 100 fly ,not at his best to be fair . Personally think he will soon swim a 200 free in competition just feel he has not finished with the 50 free/fly or with the 100 free/fly. Europeans & couple of Aussies are not going to to let Dressel have it all his way (said in the nicest possible way ) next couple of years , he’s gonna have to work , especially now World Juniors are stepping up and posting some of the fastest times out there . I’m sure US swimming are losing no sleep with a DNS. I’m sure when he does swim… Read more »

Anonymous
1 year ago

How nice that a DFS gets more mention than a gazillion other things.

Agw
1 year ago

It’s called a Declared False Start/DFS. It’s not a no show. Come on SwimSwam.

BarryA
1 year ago

A no-show is different from a DFS. The headline seems to imply a situation that normally results in a penalty, which would be surprising.

Max
1 year ago

He’s formidable, but what places him a cut above the rest of the world is that eerily powerful start. Watched him in Tokyo. The other swimmers were reeling him in on the second lap of the 100m free, but he just had a tad too much on them.Don’t think that’s enough to avoid getting caught in the 200m free unless he’s a very different guy now.

Swimmer
1 year ago

If Dressel thought swimming the 200 free would hurt his 50 fly then no way should he have been on the 800 relay in Tokyo

Santos
Reply to  Swimmer
1 year ago

this. smart choice. even king kyle was cooked and likely cost him the gold

62.4 lbs/ft3
1 year ago

I’m sure everyone would like to see what he does by giving the 2 free a good go given his talent, but frankly his ability to do the shorter events so well is far more valuable than what would be gained by having him add the 2 free.

Gore/Edwards 2000
1 year ago

I think you’re all wrong. A Chad, especially from Florida means something totally different. Even more so when hanging.

Last edited 1 year ago by Gore/Edwards 2000

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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