Comparing Caeleb Dressel’s 18.23 to Cesar Cielo’s 18.47

After putting up an 18.39 in prelims and an 18.23 in finals at the SEC Championships, Caeleb Dressel has created a 0.24-second gap between his new record and Cesar Cielo‘s old record of 18.47.

Dressel’s 18.23 and Cielo’s 18.47 are now the fastest and third fastest times ever record in the event, but how much faster was Dressel than Cielo?

Just based off their times alone, Dressel was moving at 2.74 yards/second and Cielo was moving at 2.70 yards/second. While that gives an idea of the average speed they were moving during the actual race, other factors such as the amount of time that they were underwater and distance per stroke effect what made Dressel faster than Cielo.

All below race date is not 100% accurate 

CAELEB DRESSEL – 18.23

AVERAGE SPEED – 2.74 yards/second

FIRST 25

• 3.51s until breakout
• 9 strokes
• 8.55 seconds

SECOND 25

• 2.85s until breakout
• 14 strokes
• 9.68 seconds

CESAR CIELO – 18.47 (Auburn leadoff 200 free relay 2008 NCAA Championships)

AVERAGE SPEED – 2.70 yards/second

FIRST 25

• 2.77s until breakout
• 10 strokes
• 8.50 seconds

SECOND 25

• 3.03s until breakout
• 14 strokes
• 9.97 seconds

COMPARING THE FIRST 25

Dressel was one of the last swimmers in his race to break the surface after the dive whereas Cielo broke the surface with the pack. Although the results won’t be 100% accurate due to the fact that underwater speeds, sprint speeds, push-off speeds, and dive speeds are all different, you can calculate where they approximately broke the surface after the breakout.

Based on his average speed, Dressel’s breakout was approximately at the 9.61 yard mark whereas Cielo’s was at the 7.49 yard mark. That means that Dressel swam a total of 15.39 yards above the water during the first 25 and Cielo swam a total of 17.51 yards above the water.

With Cielo swimming 10 strokes during the first 25 he averaged 1.75 yards per stroke whereas Dressel averaged 1.71 yards per stroke with nine strokes in total.

COMPARING THE SECOND 25

Dressel was under for 2.85 seconds after the wall, Cielo was under for 3.03 seconds. Again based on their average speeds Dressel broke the surface around the 7.8 yard mark, Cielo around the 8.18 yard mark. That means that Dressel swam a total of 17.2 yards above the surface on the last 25, and Cielo swam 16.82 yards above the surface.

Both of them managed 14 strokes on their final 25 which meant that Dressel averaged 1.22 yards per stroke and Cielo averaged 1.20 yards per stroke.

Dressel’s efficiency on the back-half of the swim is what made him that much faster than Cielo. Although all these calculations aren’t 100% accurate given that a swimmer travels different speeds at the time of the dive, after a push-off, and at different points in the race, it still gives a general idea of the strengths and weaknesses that each had during their swims.