Caeleb Dressel touched the wall and shouted in triumph. He threw his fists to the air and high-fived U.S. fans during a victory lap. Then, finally, he found his family and gave his wife and baby boy celebratory hugs and kisses.
Dressel only knows the top of an Olympic podium in a decorated career.
As the veteran on a youthful U.S. men's swim team, Dressel added another relay victory to his long list Saturday night, anchoring the winning 4x100-meter freestyle foursome as the Americans beat out the rival Australians and scrutinized Chinese.
“Relays are a little more special to be honest,” Dressel said. “So doing it with these guys has been awesome. It takes me back to my first gold. It really doesn't get old. Really special standing on the podium with these guys watching the flag go up. I'm extremely proud of them. It made my job easy.”
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Yes, former Ohio State star Hunter Armstrong swam a sensational third leg — his split clocked in at 46.75 seconds — to set up Dressel's grand finale sprint to the wall.
“I definitely didn't expect it,” Armstrong said of seeing his time. “I just went in, I will give my entire body and soul up for these boys. I knew I had to give Caeleb everything I had, so I was glad I was able to get my job done.”
An emotional Dressel screamed from the water and then again out of it. He pumped both fists high in the air in delight before even stepping up to accept the latest gold medal placed around his neck. He held teammate Armstrong in a prolonged embrace after Armstrong swam the fastest leg to give Dressel some wiggle room coming home, then Dressel raised his arm in rhythm to chants of “U-S-A!”
He now has eight golds and five of those in relay events — plenty to celebrate less than a month before his 28th birthday Aug. 16.
The Americans took a lap around Paris La Defense Arena offering high-fives with fans and hugs.
And Dressel quickly made his way to find wife Meghan and 5-month-old son August Wilder, finally spotting them and sprinting over for a hug and kiss before taking the baby in oversized headphones into his arms.
“It’s really special. Making the team in front of him and then winning a gold in front of him, just checking little boxes that I never would have thought to create throughout my career," Dressel said. “So that was a really special one tonight.”
Dressel will still try to defend his golds from the Tokyo Olympics in the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle. He also won the 100 free and 4x100 medley relay three years ago. Dressel captured golds in the two relays at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, too.
The emerging, younger American stars certainly could understand the magnitude of the moment Saturday. They also won the first U.S. gold of the Paris Games.
Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano were the other two on the team thrilled to be part of Dressel's amazing night after their 3-minute, 9.28-second finish — shy of the world record they'd so dearly sought.
“Truly honored to be part of this relay and watching Caeleb finish that off for us and making Team USA proud,” said Alexy, who swam the opening leg. “And starting off night one with a gold.”
