Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel again missed his return to competition Thursday by finishing fifth in the 100m butterfly at the US Swimming Championships in Indianapolis (northeast).
Dare Rose won the national title in 50 sec 74, ahead of youngster (16) Thomas Heilman in 51 sec 91. Heilman, already second in the 200m butterfly, becomes the youngest American to qualify for two individual competitions of the Championships of the world in Fukuoka (Japan) in August. Dressel, world record holder for the distance since his Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, finished 92 hundredths from the winner.
He is taking part in his first major competition for several months away from the pools after having given up the World Championships in Budapest last year. He only swam once last month in Atlanta.
At 26, Dressel, multiple world champion (14 titles), finished Tuesday in an encouraging third place in the 50m butterfly, however insufficient to be selected for the Japanese Worlds.
Crowned in Tokyo in the 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle, he will have one last chance to qualify this week with the 50m freestyle. He said very little about his decision to leave the pools and then come back, but his coach Anthony Nesty told NBC that “in terms of training, he did a good job for his return”.
In the 400m medley, Carson Foster won the men’s race in 4 min 08 sec 14/100th ahead of Chase Kalisz (4:08.22), two days after winning the 200m butterfly. Nic Fink, world champion in 2022, won the 50m breaststroke and Justin Ress, reigning world champion in the 50m backstroke, won in this distance.
Among the women, Budapest world champion Torri Huske won in 56 sec 18 in the 100m butterfly, ahead of Gretchen Walsh (56.34) and Kate Douglass (56.43), the three fastest times this year.
Katie Grimes took the 400m medley (4:33.80) ahead of Alex Walsh (4:35.46) who with his second place secured a place in Fukuoka.
Lilly King added a breaststroke title by winning the 50m after the 200m while Katherine Berkoff won the 50m backstroke.