Caeleb Dressel, who won two gold medals on 4×100 Olympic swimming in Rio de Janeiro, has not allowed his success to go to his head.
Dressel, 20, is happy to credit his hometown and the high school he graduated from for his success. In a meet-and-greet at Clay High school on Aug. 20, Dressel told his fans and media that his hard work was a reward to the community that has supported him his entire life.
“All I want to do is share with them, and I take no credit for it,” Dressel said. “They’ve gotten me where I am. I’m trying to show that it doesn’t matter where you are from, even a little town like Green Cove. You can make it.”
Dressel, a student and member of the swim team at the University of Florida, posed for pictures with children and adults who came to see him, gladly allowing them to wear his medals while savoring the moment. He said he wants to motivate children to pursue their own dreams like he did.
American swimmer Michael Phelps provided some sage advice for Dressel before the medal ceremony.
“I was watching the flag go up, realizing I’m part of one of the greatest countries on earth,” Dressel said. “Being on a podium with Michael and taking in some of his advice, you can’t beat that.”
There was almost no time for site seeing in Rio because most of Dressel’s time was spent in the village or preparing at the pool. He said he was impressed with the diversity when he briefly mingled with athletes from various countries.
He did meet athletes from one of the more well-known USA teams. Dressel told a humorous story pertaining to meeting the Olympic Men’s basketball team.
“I was on the balcony shaving Cody Miller’s back because he had to swim the next day,” Dressel said. “So I’m shaving this guy’s back, and they (the USA basketball team) all walked out, and I thought, ‘This is not what I want them to see me doing.’ I met Kyrie Irving and Draymon Green. They talked to us for about 20 minutes. I missed meeting Kevin Durant, but the rest of the guys were awesome.”
Dressel downplayed any affect that earning a gold medal has had on his life.
“My life hadn’t changed at all,” Dressel said. “I don’t want it to change. I’m not changing anything. I don’t want to be some hotshot. I’m not about that. My favorite part of the Olympics was the flag raising and seeing my family there.”
His parents and siblings were all able to gather in Rio to celebrate with him. He said having his family intact at Rio was special since it is difficult logistically for all of them to attend all his meets at Florida.
Dressel said any anxiety during his first Olympics did not bother him.
“If you are intimidated by the guy next to you, then you have lost the race already,” Dressel said. “I did my part and represented my country.”
Unfortunately, there seemed to be more attention on his teammate Ryan Lochte for his antics than there was on Dressel and other USA swimmers. Dressel said Lochte should be given more grace and forgiveness from the public.
“It’s disappointing,” Dressel said. “We have to forgive the guy. He messed up. We all mess up. His is on a bigger scale. He’s famous. Anytime he messes up, it stinks. He’ll learn from this and be back. I hold nothing against him. He’ll be fine. He’s a great guy.”
There is more than one Dressel who might be earning a trip to the Olympics in the near future. Dressel’s sister, Sherridon, who is a freshman at Florida, has Olympic potential of her own. Sherridon said seeing her brother’s success pushes her to work even harder on her goal of making the Olympic team.
For the moment, Sherridon is enjoying her brother’s success.
“It was amazing to be there,” Sherridon said. “Everyone told Caeleb, ‘You’re going to be the next Micheal Phelps,’ so to see it happening is unreal.”
Both brother and sister are excited about working together in the classroom and the pool in Gainesville.
Former Clay High swim coach Justin Falkner, who is now an assistant principal at Orange Park High, should be credited with being a part of Dressel’s development. Falkner said he really appreciates Dressel’s humility.
“He’s about everyone else and not himself, and that’s why I’m a big fan,” Falkner said. “I’m so confident in him that I’ve started a money jar saving up for Tokyo (Olympics location in 2020). I’ve known him since he was 9 years old. When I met Caeleb, he was a small, scrawny kid, but he and his sister were the fastest kids in the pool then. I told people then that you will know the Dressel name soon.”
Falkner said training at The Bolles School and going to school at Clay High was a comfortable combination for Dressel.
Former Clay High principal Pete McCabe said Dressel is an example of what is good about the youth of today.
“He’s a representation of the good, not because he is an Olympic champion but because he’s a good kid,” McCabe said. “I think he’s a good role modal for all of them.”
Current Clay High principal Cary Dicks praised Dressel’s character.
“He’s such a hard worker and dedicated to his walk and his faith,” Dicks said. “What he does as a person far outweighs what he has done in the pool. He goes over and beyond. He’ll stay here for hours taking pictures. Every picture he takes is like the first one.”
Clay High athletic director Jay Stilianou said Dressel is one of Clay High’s most accomplished athletes.
“I didn’t realize how athletic he was until I saw him in gym playing volleyball,” Stilianou said. “He could have played receiver, or he could have played shortstop. He could have done anything he wanted to if he wanted to pick it up. He and Sherridon are so humble and so driven.”
Dressel’s future is bright due to his hard work and his service to his community. He is a rare athlete indeed.
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Local Olympic Star Recounts His Rio Experience
Written by Brent Beaird
Photo by Brent Beaird
