Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel spoke in-depth after a very long break from speaking to media– after he departed abruptly from the 2022 World Championships. He suffered a mental health event, and he spent nearly a year taking care of himself. He’s back now and clearly open to air-out most topics.
From the long Speedo podcast SwimSwam did with Caeleb, two clips are worth revisiting or watching if you missed the interview.
1 – Caeleb wants to race through 2028 so long as he can find meaning in the process. The idea of having a chance to race in front of a home-nation crowd at the Los Angeles Olympics is very meaningful to him. Caeleb even said he’d nudge Ryan Murphy to do the same.
2 – Caeleb wants to coach when he retires. If the racing process isn’t working for him, he’s sending out his resume to be a coach.
See the full podcast interview here:
Thanks to SwimSwam partner Speedo for their support of this podcast.
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Music: Otis McDonald
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Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.
That’s good News for USA Swimming. I hope he first goes after and takes down that ancient LCM 50 Free WR.
i didnt realize dressel was 27 already
Dressel is older than Chalmers
16 was a wake up for him and then he really got pro about his work after that
This comment section is ridiculous 🤯
…I have no issues with commenters saying he should have made a statement at WC or soon after. I understand, and I get all the reasons why. (And he addressed his reasons why he didn’t.) But piling on when an athlete has had one challenging moment in their career, especially after his astoundingly successful run 2017-2021, is a bit much. And on the topic of staying in the sport and coaching, yeah, that’s a positive. He has experience and knowledge to share. That doesn’t mean he’ll be the greatest coach in the world, but he’s got that as a baseline to build on, and he may well achieve mastery as a coach. I’d love witness that process…
You know what would be really cool, Mel?
If Caeleb would have a stint on “American Gladiators” after his retirement! Yeah, baby!
“Trust the Science.” (TM)
Agreed, with a short run on Baywatch as well 🤓
If you listen closely to Phelps comments over the past year, it is clear that he is considering an epic comeback for 2028.
This will get lots of downvotes, but I’m telling you he is considering it.
200 Fly, 200IM, 200 Free (to see if he can sneak into a relay slot and good for training the other 200s)
He will say, he wants to compete in an Olympics and in front of his kids when they can remember it.
It will be nowhere near a lock from him to make it, but the press will ignite lots of endorsement money regardless.
It’s going to be epic to watch the process!
Source, not opinion please and thank you
He has referenced that ‘if’ he would come back it would only be for the home olympics.
You may want to look into how often he swims with Bob at the AZ pool casually keeping in shape…
My kneejerk reaction was there’s no way in hell he’d be swimming 200s, but then I thought…what else would he swim?
He’d also be what, 41?
I’m not disagreeing that he might try it – Mark Spitz was baited into a comeback at 41 – but I wouldn’t expect Phelps to make it, either.
There’s no way he tries it unless we cure aging in the next 20 years or something, then he’d probably come back in a heartbeat.
He was born in ’85, so he’d be 42 or 43, depending on when exactly the swimming portion of the Games would happen.
Spitz was 20 years removed from his Olympic glory in 1992, Phelps a mere seven years now. Plus, Phelps still hangs with his lifelong coach while George Haines and Doc Councilman were more or less out of the coaching picture in 1992.
Trust the Science (TM).
Yep… people who are interested in this over the next few years may want to track how often and how long he is ‘hanging’ in the pool with Bob casually ‘keeping in shape’
I think “he thinks” 28 medals is enough.
Medals will not be the goal.
Making the team as the oldest Men’s member ever, swimming in an olympics on home soil, and swimming in front of his kids (while they can remember it) will be the goal.
There will be long odds of success for even that goal, but I believe that is what will motivate him.
Remember that he will not be swimming 8 events anymore either 🙂
I’d say you were insane except his ability to just keep dropping 1:54’s in the 200 IM into his 30’s was insane. He might very well be a 1:56 at age 41 if he wants to, and unless someone comes charging onto the scene between then and now that might just make the team. I see very little chance of him still having the back end for the 200 fly or 200 free though. Maybe old man strength could keep him under 48 with a flying start in the 100 free and give him a long shot to make that relay though.
It’s a testament to how absurdly good Phelps was that this is only mostly insane to talk about.
I think he would need to register his biological passport and be tested well in advance to returning to any pro competition. Some age group swim meets don’t have an age cap, so he could maybe do some events “for fun” if Swim Neptune wanted to make it happen. The story is totally sus. But, if MP did race even a local meet or did start biological testing then media would go insane.
Explains why he is still getting around with massive bicep veins and lean as a stick
I loved the extremely personal and candid interview. The questions and answers were very real and raw.
Kudos to Mel and the staff for the restraint they must have a lot of to read these comments.
My grandpa told me to clean his car.
I spent the whole morning doing it.
After sometime, my grandpa asked me how the car was looking.
“Dressel,” I said. He just smiled and nodded.
He knew that it was washed
🤣🤣🤣
Good luck to you, Caeleb!
I’m just here for the comments
😎🍿