Caleb Dressel is arguably one of the fastest sprint swimmers, boasting incredibly fast reaction times that helped him break multiple world records. The American swimmer recently showed a glimpse of her skills, albeit during a stick drop challenge.
Dressel teamed up with fellow U.S. Olympian Natalie Hines to announce the fun challenge on Wednesday. The nine-time Olympic champion quickly caught the stick, succeeding on four attempts, all at near waist height.
The 28-year-old will challenge fans to see their reaction speed, with winners receiving an autographed cap and keychain.
“Can you beat my reaction time? 🏆 Here’s your chance to test your skills and win an autographed cap and keychain 🔑!” he declared.
Dressel is widely known as a sprint genius, thanks in part to his quick reaction time to the starting gun. He was the first swimmer in history to swim the first 15 meters of the 50 meter freestyle in less than five seconds, and later also broke Michael Phelps’ 10-year record for the 100 meter butterfly.
A 10-time Olympic medalist, he also holds the world record for the 100m individual medley. Although his speed has slowed down relatively due to mental health reasons, the 28-year-old still managed to win three medals, including two gold medals, at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“It probably hurt me more than it helped me as a swimmer” – Caleb Dressel on being a father
Caleb Dressel gave birth to his first child, son Augustus, in 2024, and although he is full of love and gratitude, he also believes that being a father has had a negative impact on his swimming career. In an interview with Olympic.com, he said:
“It probably hurt me more than it helped me as a swimmer, but it definitely taught me patience. It taught me to slow down. What I was able to do was work as a father and… There are only two things I need to do: swim for the 2020 Paris Games.
The 28-year-old added that although being a father means having to adapt to a different routine, it was something he loved stepping into the role.
“It’s obviously a different routine, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. It’s been very fulfilling and I really enjoyed stepping into that role with Megan,” Dressel added.
The impact on Caleb Dressel’s swimming was evident during the U.S. Olympic Trials and the Paris Olympics, where he was well off his personal best times. He was the defending champion in the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly events, but failed to reach the podium in either event.
Edited by Hitesh Nigam
