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Caeleb Dressel Overcomes Faulty Block To Win Westmont 50 Free With Fastest Time in 2 Years

2024 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT

After sneaking into the 50 freestyle ‘A’ final in 8th, Caeleb Dressel logged his fastest swim since his extended break from the sport to win the event at the Westmont Pro Swim Series stop. Dressel treated fans to some outside smoke, taking the win in 21.84 from lane 8.

The race was not without drama though. At the end of the race, the board went blank. Everyone was left in confusion for about five minutes as the swimmers exited the water and met up with their coaches to try and get some answers. Ultimately, the results were announced through the arena speakers.

During the pause, it became clear that wasn’t the only technical malfunction of the race. On the start, Dressel’s block broke underneath his feet.

Watch video of Dressel’s block break below:

He popped up earlier than he typically does, but he was able to recover himself and beat out Santo Condorelli by two-hundredths.

Dressel’s time is the fastest he’s been in nearly two years when he swam 21.29 at the 2022 U.S. International Team Trials. In Westmont, he bettered the 21.99 he swam at the U.S. Open last winter.

Dressel’s 50 Free Swims Since Comeback

  • 2023 Atlanta Classic (Prelims) – 22.92
  • 2023 Atlanta Classic (Final) – 22.57
  • 2023 U.S. Nationals (Prelims) – 22.72
  • 2023 U.S. Open (Prelims) – 22.35
  • 2023 U.S. Open (Finals) — 21.99
  • 2024 Westmont Pro Swim Series (Prelims) — 22.65
  • 2024 Westmont Pro Swim Series (Finals) — 21.84

Dressel has shown himself to be on good form at this meet, which is his first since becoming a father in February. Earlier, he won the 100 butterfly in 51.27, another swim that’s his fastest since returning to competition.

Due to the timing system malfunction, meet officials offered a time trial before the start of ‘C’ finals to all the men’s 50 freestyle ‘A’ finalists so they can reswim if they wish. The times will not count towards the official results, but will count as official times which will be especially important for international swimmers in the final aiming to qualify for the Olympics.

Originally reported by Riley Overend:

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – FINAL

  • World Record: Cesar Cielo Filho (BRA) – 20.91 (2009)
  • American Record: Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 21.04 (2019)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 21.51 (2020)
  • U.S Open Record: Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 21.04 (2021)

Top 8:

  1. Caeleb Dressel (GSC-FL) – 21.84
  2. Santo Condorelli (DM) – 21.89
  3. Jack Alexy (UN-PC) – 21.90
  4. Abdelrahman Elaraby (ND) – 22.31
  5. Ryan Held (NYAC) – 22.32
  6. Alberto Mestre (UN-FL) – 22.36
  7. Lucas Peixoto (MTC) – 22.37
  8. Andrej Barna (CARD) – 22.44

Reigning Olympic champion Caeleb Dressel overcame a faulty starting block and a malfunctioning timing system to claim the 50 free title in 21.84, barely out-touching Santo Condorelli (21.89) and Jack Alexy (21.90) at the finish. There was extra drama at the end when the board went blank, leaving swimmers confused on deck for about five minutes before the results were ultimately announced through the speaker.

Dressel’s winning time was his fastest since taking nearly a year off from the sport, bettering his 21.99 from the U.S. Open last winter. His starting block almost came apart completely as he exploded forward at the start of tonight’s race.

Notre Dame graduate transfer Abdelrahman Elaraby placed 4th in 22.31, shaving a hundredth of a second off his lifetime best from 2021.

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Richard Koehoorn
8 months ago

Its the complete bridge that is moving not only Dressel block.

swimmer
8 months ago

What do people think Dressel will swim at trials after this?

Swimgeek
Reply to  swimmer
8 months ago

50/100 free and 100 fly

Jalen T
8 months ago

The block looked normal to me. The Dressel Propaganda is starting up again and I won’t support it. Team Alexy or anyone but Dressel

VA Steve
Reply to  Jalen T
8 months ago

Guess you have to say something as his speed must have shocked you.

Swemmer
Reply to  Jalen T
8 months ago

dang that brain of yours is hollow

dg5301
Reply to  Jalen T
8 months ago

It’s so obvious that Caeleb was Jalen’s hero when he was winning everything, and now he just can’t handle the ups & downs that come with fanaticism. Every time he posts, it makes me think of those videos of unhinged NFL fans breaking their TVs and scaring their kids when their team loses.

Anonymous
Reply to  Jalen T
8 months ago

Michael Andrew is no 1 American 50 free swimmer this season so far.

Garbage Yardage
Reply to  Anonymous
8 months ago

How many threads are you going to post this same comment on?

Hank
8 months ago

Was that timed on stopwatches? In the video replay it looks like a tie or even like Alexy got his hand on the wall first.

Pan Fan
8 months ago

Certified DILF

Steve Nolan
8 months ago

From the livestream yesterday the pool sorta just looked like a high school pool.

And from that block today, it appears just like the ones I swam at, too. (Lane 3 was the rickety one, I think.)

>:D
Reply to  Steve Nolan
8 months ago

it’s a beautiful pool – I would be jealous of any high school that had a pool that nice. it was a 27 million dollar facility in 2020 i think. myrtha pool too. super nice. they’re the myrtha blocks (i think they may be the omega blocks idk). nice ppool, nice blocks ect

Steve Nolan
Reply to  >:D
8 months ago

It’s the lack of seating on the opposite side of the camera, just makes it look small.

SwimFL
Reply to  >:D
8 months ago

Most high schools in Indiana and western Michigan have 50 meter pools.

Samuel Huntington
8 months ago

As others have stated, I don’t see the block breaking. His start looks fine.

IM/BR/FLY
8 months ago

I’m not sure that I would call that a block “breaking.” It looks more like a loose block getting thrown backwards as Caeleb kicks his legs back and pulls his arms up towards him.

VA Steve
Reply to  IM/BR/FLY
8 months ago

… and that is not at all unusual at many meets.

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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