American swimmer Caeleb Dressel, 27, may be one of the most dominant men in the pool since Michael Phelps.
With seven gold medals across two Olympic Games, Dressel has set records in events like the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly (at a lightning-fast 49.45 seconds, beating Phelps' world record by .37 seconds).
At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Dressel is just slightly shorter than Phelps, whose body is ideal for swimming, sports scientists have said.
Dressel is scheduled to compete in both the men's 50-meter freestyle and men's 100-meter butterfly, as well as the men's 4×100-meter freestyle relay, in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Born and raised in Florida, Dressel currently lives in a rural area near Gainesville. He honors his home state by sporting a series of tattoos featuring animals native to Florida, such as an alligator, black bear, and eagle.
Dressel's early life and career
Dressel grew up in Green Cove Springs, Florida, and began swimming at age 5.
At 15, he was the youngest male swimmer at the 2012 Olympic Trials, and shortly after started racking up medals at the 2013 World Junior Championships and US Junior National Championships.
Dressel swam for the University of Florida, setting records at the school, state, and NCAA levels.
He qualified for the US Olympic team in 2016 and 2020, earning two gold medals in Rio de Janeiro and five in Tokyo.
At the World Championships in 2022, Dressel withdrew in the middle of an event, citing health reasons and later clarifying he needed to step back from swimming for his mental health.
Across his career, he has shown exceptional speed, even when Dressel has been compared to Phelps and other elite swimmers.
While Phelps dominated the sport for years across a range of events, Dressel's forte is sprint events, setting a record of 20.16 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle, making him one of the fastest male swimmers in the world.
Dressel's net worth includes winnings from his Olympic medals — the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee pays athletes $37,500 for gold medals, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze — as well as sponsorships with major brands like Speedo, Omega, Toyota, and Nobull.
He is married to his high school sweetheart, Meghan, and the couple have a baby boy named August, who was born in Feburary 2024, as well as a black Lab named Jane, who swims alongside Dressel in the pool.
