Caeleb Dressel’s Journey to Rediscovering His Passion for Swimming

Caeleb Dressel’s extraordinary performance, winning seven gold medals, may paint the image of a champion without problems, but the reality of his swimming journey tells a different story. Despite his unparalleled success, Dressel has had to contend with the intense pressures of the sport.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s best swimmers, Dressel holds the world record in the men’s 100-meter butterfly, a title he took from Michael Phelps in 2019 and then bettered at the Tokyo Olympics, where he won five gold medals. But even those accomplishments have failed to shield him from disappointment.

Dressel was consumed by perceived failures, whether it was a turn, the finish line, or the lead. Winning gold and helping Team USA dominate the medal count did little to silence his inner critic. He relentlessly sought perfection, feeling that anything less would be a personal failure.

“I created a monster inside of me, so caught up in perfectionism,” Dressel shared on the “Unfiltered Waters” podcast with former Olympians Missy Franklin and Katie Hoff. “So caught up in, ‘If I don’t see these times, I’m a bad person, or I didn’t train hard enough. If I don’t hit a world record, I didn’t obsess enough.’”

The sport that once brought him joy became a source of relentless pressure. Dressel finally reached a breaking point, abruptly retiring during the 2022 World Championships in Budapest and stepping away from swimming for eight months.

During his time off in Gainesville, Florida, Dressel worked closely with his therapist and leaned on the support of his wife, Meghan. He avoided the pool and took time to rediscover himself beyond his athletic successes. The trip involved reorienting his identity and finding joy outside the pool.

This period of self-reflection has been challenging, but crucial. Dressel, now 27 and a new father, acknowledges that the healing and growth process is ongoing. He has returned to the sport with a different mindset, focusing on the aspects he enjoys and managing his perfectionist tendencies.

“It’s really tough,” Dressel told The Athletic. “It’s ingrained in me, that you always want to look for ways to get better. I’m still doing that, but I’m not getting so obsessed and fixated that I lose sight of what’s really fun about sports. It’s tough, and it’s not like I suddenly got there this year. There are things I’m really proud of that I’ve done differently, like being able to enjoy parts of sports and not just beat myself up for not being perfect.”

Dressel’s comeback will see him compete in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly at the Paris Games, and likely compete in more relays. Although he did not qualify for the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials, he remains positive and proud of his accomplishments, especially with his family by his side.

“No one can take that away from her,” Dressel said of her son August, who watched her performance at the trials. “He won’t remember it. I’ll tell him, trust me, I have pictures, so I can prove it. … It was a really special moment. Meghan knows what goes into it, not just the parenting side of things, but she gets to see firsthand the challenges that come with sports.”

Dressel’s return to competitive swimming has been marked by a newfound balance, allowing him to enjoy the sport while keeping his inner critic at bay. His family, especially Meghan, has played a key role in this transformation, supporting him through the ups and downs.

Parenthood has provided Dressel with a valuable perspective shift. It has taught him to prioritize moments of joy over the relentless pursuit of perfection. While he still pushes himself to excel, he does so with a healthier perspective.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever run my best time again, and it’s hard to say out loud. It really is,” Dressel admitted. “When you’re 19, 20, 21, you’re just chipping away, chipping away, chipping away. I’m still working harder than ever, trying to find every way I can to shave off those two tenths. But I don’t know. I don’t know if I can. I’m really good at running. If you put me in a race, I’ll get close, as close as I can, even if I have to try to kill myself to get there. I’ll put myself in those situations.”

As Dressel prepares for Paris, she does so with a deeper understanding of herself and a greater appreciation for the sport. Her training partner, Katie Ledecky, has noticed the positive changes, highlighting her renewed joy and dedication.

“He’s always had that smile,” Ledecky said. “He took that time and when he came back, he had that smile every day. Just to see his progress over the last year, how he’s gotten better and better with every meet, it seems like he just loves the race and he loves training probably more than the race, and that makes everyone around him better.”

Dressel’s journey highlights the importance of mental health and the value of finding balance in the pursuit of excellence. His story is a testament to resilience and the power of self-discovery, proving that even the greatest athletes must cultivate their well-being to achieve true success.