American swimmer Caeleb Dressel chatted about his Olympic journey at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
He addressed the importance of mental health in the digital age, and he opened up about his family life.
American entrepreneur Sam Altman once said: “Young people willing to push super hard to make something happen are among the most powerful forces in the world.” This quote applies to three-time Olympian Caeleb Dressel, 28.
Dressel is the pride of The University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, where he is coached by the living legend Anthony Nesty (the Head Coach of U.S. Olympic Men’s Swimming Team), and he trains alongside fellow Olympic gold medalists Bobby Finke and Katie Ledecky.
Accomplishments at the Paris Olympics
At the Paris Summer Olympic Games, Dressel won a total of three Olympic medals: two gold (in the 4 x 100 meter mixed medley and the 4 x 100 meter freestyle) relays, and a silver in the men’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay. His grand total of Olympic medals is 10 with nine gold and a silver medal to his name.
“This was Olympics No. 3 for me,” he admitted. “Some things don’t get old, so it’s nice being back.”
“It is certainly an honor and a privilege to be competing with the best Team USA has to offer. I mean every Olympics has been so different throughout my career, but some things have honestly stayed the same,” Dressel added.
Lessons learned from this Olympic journey
On the lessons learned from his 2024 Olympic journey in Paris, Dressel remarked, “It really does take an army. I cannot do this sport on my own. I really leaned onto everybody this year.”
“Presently, not being afraid to reach out and use the context that I’ve grown whether it’s from Gainesville or throughout the sport of swimming,” he noted.
“There is always someone who has been able to relate to situations that I’ve gone through, and I think just reaching out and admitting that I can’t do this by myself has been a big one this year,” he elaborated.
“What this journey has taught me is that I’m not as good at handling the sport as I thought I was,” he added.
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, he revealed, “We have a very fun September planned. I’m going to Elizabeth Biesel’s wedding in Rhode Island, so that’ll be fun.”
“Also, I’ll be going to Las Vegas for a fun little trip with Sherridon, my younger sister. Then, I will be going to my best friend’s baby shower and that’s in Nashville, so we have a bunch of things planned, and they are all fun things. I love to travel around America,” he elaborated.
“There will also be a couple of fishing trips thrown in there, and a couple of shrimping trips with my dad. Other than that, who knows? I’ll make it to October, and then, we will plan October,” he added.
Mental health in the digital age
On the significance of mental health in the digital age, Dressel said, “I’ve run into problems, I hate social media. I see some of the importance of it but I feel like a lot of it has gotten very out of hand, especially with some of the new and upcoming athletes now. I can’t imagine being born into that. I feel I got weaved into it.”
Dressel continued, “I’ve had a pretty good time with my swimming career. I remember the first time I heard the word Twitter, and I was in sixth grade. I was 12 or 13 when I got Facebook, which I don’t have anymore.”
“Then, Snapchat became a thing, which I don’t have anymore, and Instagram came a little later for me. I certainly got weaved into social media, and I think it can be very damaging, especially if it is not used in a healthy way,” he explained.
“You can get caught up in the likes, and that one mean comment can absolutely ruin you. Again, I can try to shake those off, but I really can’t. I usually just don’t try to read the comments, and I hide my likes count,” he noted.
“Those are the little things I try to do, especially since I don’t want kids or other swimmers to look at my profile and see that I am getting a certain number of likes and having them relate themselves to me, so I just turn it off completely, and it’s really just to protect the younger generation,” he elaborated.
“I think it can be very damaging, especially the comparisons that come with it because I’ve certainly got caught up with it,” he added.
Dressel on the few pros of social media
Dressel noted that there are some advantages to social media, especially if it is used in the right way.
“I have been able to engage with some very special people and be able to share some very special moments in my life through that for people that are interested in my career,” he said.
“Social media is not the worst thing in the world… but if it went away completely, I would be totally fine with that,” he said with a sweet laugh. “You just have to tread carefully with it, especially for myself.”
Dressel on training with Katie Ledecky
On training with Olympic long-distance champion and world record holder Katie Ledecky, Dressel said, “First of all, Katie is hilarious, which nobody knows but if you see the way that girl trains, her results are not surprising at all. The most amazing and inspiring thing is watching that girl work.”
“You are seeing some of the times that Katie goes in the water, and it just seems unfathomable for her but when you watch her train, it just makes sense,” he noted.
“I’m so glad I don’t have to do the distance practices because she beats the majority of the men’s team all the time,” Dressel said with a sweet laugh.
Dressel on Bobby Finke
Dressel had complimentary remarks towards training mate Bobby Finke, who broke the world record in the men’s 1,500 meter freestyle race at the Paris Olympics and took home the gold for Team USA.
“Bobby Finke is just a great guy,” he exclaimed. “Both Bobby and Katie Ledecky are sweethearts. Bobby and I always have a great time, and we are both Florida boys. It is such a privilege to swim with Bobby. He is a good kid, he works hard, and he hurts in practice sometimes, which is something I can definitely relate to.”
“In the past, I’ve also swam with his two older sisters (Autumn and Summer), so I’ve swam with all the Finke’s. They are a great family,” Dresel added.
Dressel on Coach Anthony Nesty
Dressel spoke about highly having Anthony Nesty as the U.S. Olympic Men’s Swimming Team Head Coach and as his own Head Coach at the University of Florida.
“Nesty’s career is so inspiring,” he admitted. “There is a lot of crossovers we have; not at the same time, but he swam at Bolles School, and we both have Olympic gold medals in the 100 meter butterfly.”
“Also, Nesty swam at UF and then, he made his way to Head Coach here, and he was the Head Coach of the Olympic Team, so he has had a lot of successes,” Dressel said.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be coached by Nesty at UF over the last couple of years,” Dressel acknowledged. “Nesty is a hard worker; he is a tough coach when you are in the water, but also, he can be a big teddy bear.”
“Nesty is super inspiring, and I love him to death and I look up to him so much. I’ve been blessed to have two of the best coaches in the world (Anthony Nesty and Gregg Troy)… I’ve been picking them right,” he said with a sweet laugh.
“I think that’s just what happens at UF,” he admitted. They hire the best coaches, and we are just surrounded by elite athletes. It’s not just the swimming program; it’s every program here left and right.”
“You are going to see an Olympian walking around somewhere on campus. It is definitely a priority at UF, we breed some of the best, and we take a lot of pride in that,” he added.
Racing Tim Tebow in the pool
Recently, Dressel raced former professional NFL quarterback Tim Tebow in the pool, who is a Florida sports icon in his own right. “How funny was that?” he admitted.
“That was a collab that I never thought would happen. SEC Network messaged me about doing something with Graham Mertz, Tim Tebow, and Danny Wuerffel by the pool, and they thought of me. This was just such a cool thing. I caught a pass from Tim Tebow, Graham, and Danny. I realized that his is a pretty cool life I’m living,” he elaborated.
“Swimming has certainly offered some of the coolest doors,” he said. “Getting to meet all of those guys was really awesome, especially since I grew up watching Florida Gators football since I was five years old.”
“UF Football may not be in the best spot right now, but I’ve been watching every game since I was a kid. I mean it’s embedded in me… I love the Gators,” he exclaimed.
Meeting Cookie Monster in Paris
A proud moment in Paris involved meeting Cookie Monster (of “Sesame Street”) and partaking in a cookie-eating world record segment along with Ryan Murphy and Bobby Finke.
“As soon as the two puppeteers put the Cookie Monster outfit on, it was just magic,” he admitted.
“As a result, I’m the coolest guy with all my nieces and nephews because I got to meet Cookie Monster. It was just a magical experience, and I am the coolest uncle right now, especially knowing Cookie Monster personally,” he elaborated.
“Also, if that weren’t enough, I had an interview with Bugs Bunny, which I did with my son,” he added.
“I couldn’t get over it,” he said. “Everyone loves Cookie Monster and watching those two work (doing the voice and the puppetry) was so incredible. Swimming has given me some of the coolest opportunities.”
“Hanging out with ‘Murph’ and Bobby with a couple of gold medals around our necks, talking to Cookie Monster, is not a bad gig at all,” he acknowledged.
Remembering Jon Urbanchek
Dressel took some time to pay his respects to the late U.S. Olympic and college coach Jon Urbanchek, who passed away on May 9, 2024, at the age of 87.
“I’ve had a couple of moments with him,” he admitted. “What Jon has done for the sport is extraordinary. So many people have been involved with him. Jon was never just set in one program, and he had contacts all around the sport. He was a true student of the sport, and that is something that I would love to be remembered as.”
Dressel continued, “Jon just loved the sport. The moment you have certain practices named after you, I think that’s how you know you’ve made it, and I’ve had the privilege of being on deck while I’ve done some of his sets.”
“Jon certainly left his mark not just on the sport of swimming but for a lot of people. Losing him was a tough one, especially to hear that news break,” he added.
Personal life
In his personal life, Dressel is a husband to Meghan, and a father to their baby boy August Wilder.
When asked how he balances his swimming career and a family life, he said with a sweet laugh, “When swimming is out of the picture, it is fairly easy.”
“My relationships are certainly harder when swimming is in the picture,” he admitted. “It’s so embedded in me to keep prioritizing swimming because that is all I’ve known. That’s certainly a flaw that I would like to fix and get better at.”
“I would like to prioritize Meghan better and what her needs are, and certainly be around my son a lot more. It’s time-consuming and I’m not sure if there is a way to do that but I know it’s tough,” he said.
Ryan Lochte as an influence in his life
Dressel described 12-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte as a major influence in his life, both in and out of the pool.
“When I was training with Ryan, we called him Big Daddy,” Dressel said. Ryan texted me as soon as I told him that Meghan was pregnant, and then, he was calling me ‘big daddy.’ I told him maybe he could call me ‘Medium Daddy.’ I think Ryan will always be ‘Big Daddy.’ Ryan is just such a nice guy.”
Dressel continued, “Ryan was one of the first people to reach out to me during Paris and after Paris. I certainly want to do some fun trips with him and see if we can get him on the boat to do some fishing; I want to get Ryan in root with his Florida side.”
“Ryan has been a great guy for me, and he was certainly awesome when I was training with him. Also, I think he is a student of the sport of swimming,” Dressel added.
More videos on his YouTube page
Dressel shared that he would like to put out more free content for the sport of swimming on his YouTube channel. “I think more resources need to be available, especially for anybody who is underprivileged, or for parents who are not willing to spend money for swim clinics.
“I would love to get my YouTube channel going, and I would love to put free stuff out there,” he said. “I just want the sport to be more accessible to people whether you are done swimming at age 12 or whether you are a Master swimmer. I just want that more accessible.”
“I would love to put videos on technique work out there, and little tips and tricks for practice. I just want more free content because swimming is a wonderful, wonderful sport, and I would love to do anything I can to help grow it. That is my way to give back.”
Best thing about being his age
On the best thing about being his age, Dressel reflected, “The house remodeling all of a sudden… pickup bathtub fixtures, what bathtub you’re getting, and what wooden floor. It has been so fun.”
“I am going to sound so lame to a certain age group, but then I know there’s that age group out there that knows what I am talking about,” he noted.
“Going into Ferguson for the first time, picking up lighting, but even further than that, it has been really fun at this age with me and Meghan. We are fortunate enough to be in our own house on a pretty piece of land and being able to turn our house into a home,” he acknowledged.
“It has been a really fun ride,” he admitted. “Being young with my high school sweetheart and a baby sitting in another room has been fun. I’ve known Meghan for 12 years, we’ve been dating for 10, and while we’ve only been married for three, I have been with her for a while.”
“We’ve done a lot together,” he noted. “Right now, we are turning our house into a home. We are constantly trying to do that… the projects never end but that has been one of the most exciting things right now.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Dressel said, “Gratitude.”
“I certainly have a lot more freedom at the moment,” he admitted. “There are a lot of unknowns so there are a lot of parts that are a little bit scary but I am really leaning into the relationships that I have and I am so appreciative of all the people in my life.”
“Again, I can’t do this by myself so it is neat that I can reach out to them. I am very thankful for the people in my life,” he acknowledged.
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, he revealed that it would be what “Elastigirl has in ‘The Incredibles.’ That is always an easy choice for me.”
Elastigirl possesses superhuman elasticity, which affords her ability to stretch any part of her body to great proportions. “I feel like Elastigril can do everything… she can fly, she can turn into a parachute, and she has a mix of all the good things,” he said.
“Dash from ‘The Incredibles’ would be great too. Who wouldn’t want to run that fast? That would be cool,” he said.
Success
On his definition of success, Dressel said, “At this point in my life, success means being able to say that I have both purpose and happiness.”
“Swimming has given me more purpose than I could ever ask for, but I feel that in some aspects, I am lacking the happy part. I think if I can find that sweet spot (whether it’s continuing to swim or not), I think I will be involved with the sport for my whole life. It’s scary to even think about not competing because that is all I’ve ever known,” he elaborated.
“I will never be able to stop moving, I’m a pretty hyper guy, and I have a hard time sitting still, so swimming helps with that, so it will be something where I am constantly moving,” he noted.
“I think that sweet spot of purpose and happiness would be my definition of success. For me, leaving a room brighter than I found it, and obviously, swimming opens the door for my group of people to make their room brighter as best as I can,” he acknowledged.
“I love the sport, and I’ll forever be in debt to it. I want to try to give back as best as I can,” he added.
Message for his fans and supporters
For his dedicated fans and supporters, Dressel remarked, “This is a tough one to say, and I’m working on it… but I’ve never felt deserving of the love I’ve received in this sport.”
“I felt like I have not done enough in this sport to deserve the love I have gotten from everybody, the cheers, the roar of the crowd, and how much people look up to me,” he noted.
He continued, “I don’t feel deserving of that title. I feel I have not done enough, I have not swam fast enough, I haven’t broken enough records, I haven’t gotten enough medals, but I would like to get to a point where I realize that’s not what everyone cares about, so yeah, I would like to see myself as other people view me because everyone has been more than fair, and I just love all the fans to death.”
“It’s very humbling having people you know look up to the things I’ve done in the sport, and see little clips of how I live my life,” he concluded.
For more information on Olympic and world swimming champion Caeleb Dressel, follow him on Instagram, and check out his official website.
