2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS
- When:
- Wave I Dates: June 4-7, 2021
- Wave II Dates: June 13-20, 2021
- Prelims: 10am CDT | Finals: 7pm CDT (8PM finals on Friday & Saturday)
- Where: CHI Health Center / Omaha, Nebraska
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Cuts
- Wave I & II Event Order
- LCM (50m)
- Day 6 Finals Live Stream
- Psych Sheets
- Wave II Live Results
- Day 6 Finals Heat Sheet
It was another historical performance for Caeleb Dressel in the semi-finals of the men’s 100 butterfly at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, as the 22-year-old unleashed the fourth sub-50 swim of his illustrious career to re-lower his U.S. Open Record.
After getting the monkey off his back on Thursday night, officially qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team by winning the 100 freestyle, Dressel dropped a new U.S. Open Record in the 100 fly heats on Friday morning, clocking 50.17 to break Michael Phelps‘ 2009 mark of 50.22.
Then in the semis, Dressel really let it fly, soaring his way to a time of 49.76, the third-fastest of all-time.
Dressel now owns four of history’s six swims under 50 seconds, with Phelps and Milorad Cavic both doing so once in their epic clash at the 2009 World Championships.
Additionally, Dressel takes hold of a staggering seven of the 10-fastest swims ever.
All-Time Performances, Men’s 100 Butterfly (LCM)
- Caeleb Dressel (USA), 49.50 – 2019
- Caeleb Dressel (USA), 49.66 – 2019
- Caeleb Dressel (USA), 49.76 – 2021
- Michael Phelps (USA), 49.82 – 2009
- Caeleb Dressel (USA), 49.86 – 2017
- Milorad Cavic (SRB), 49.95 – 2009
- Milorad Cavic (SRB), 50.01 – 2009
- Caeleb Dressel (USA), 50.07 – 2017
- Caeleb Dressel (USA), 50.08 – 2017
- Caeleb Dressel (USA), 50.17 – 2021
In terms of splitting, Dressel made up nearly all of his ground on the second 50 relative to his prelim performance, closing over three tenths quicker in 26.45.
In fact, that was the reigning two-time world champion’s fastest back-half split ever, with his previous-quickest being the 26.55 he came home in at the 2017 World Championships when he went sub-50 for the first time.
Split Comparison, Dressel’s Sub-50 Swims
| Dressel, 2019 Worlds (Semi) | Dressel, 2019 Worlds (Final) | Dressel, 2021 Trials (Semi) | Dressel, 2017 Worlds (Final) |
| 22.83 | 23.09 | 23.31 | 23.31 |
| 26.67 | 26.57 | 26.45 | 26.55 |
| 49.50 | 49.66 | 49.76 | 49.86 |
Heading into Saturday’s final, Dressel sits almost a second and a half clear of the next-fastest competitor in the 100 fly field, so it will essentially be Dressel versus the clock, and then seven others duking it out for a spot on the team.
Tom Shields, a 2016 Olympian in both the men’s 100 and 200 fly, qualified second in 51.20, and will have his final opportunity to make a second straight Olympic team in the final.
After 50.17 semi, I’m not surprised. Awesome. Always.
I really hope he can pull out the win tomorrow. Long past due and definitely deserves it
What isn’t mentioned in the article that’s worth noting is that he didn’t breath the final 6 strokes into the wall. Unreal to watch.
He’s done a couple of last lap no breathers in the 100y freestyle and butterfly.
Every crazier that no one is trying to do the same thing.
Pieroni tried in the free and got boomed lol
I think Maxine Rooney tried it on the last lap of a 200 fly, that didn’t work out so well.
To my knowledge, Austin Staab was the first to do a last lap no breather, 100 fly at NCAAs.
He always does that.
It’s his thing
Funny thing is, he’s done that for a while right, not breathing into the last 10m, BUT this morning in the prelims, he breathed all the way to the finish, and STILL went 50.1. Monstrous, even when his foot’s not all the way on the pedal
i noticed that too ….he looked like a fast train coming home
5 strokes*
Statement swim but that statement is
“Sun Yangs Hammer’s predictions got trashed”
Could we maybe see a 48.xx from him at the Olympics. I think he has something left in the tank…
Although difficult, he could hold the 10 ten performances ever after the Olympics?
Nah that math doesn’t work. But If he can carry this in to nationals next year and worlds the year after he definitely would. If of course the magic man doesn’t decide to drop some 45s
2009 swims kinda shouldn’t count anyways eh
if he swims at least one prelims of either the medley and mixed medley relay he could do it
Fly goes 3rd, thus not making it an eligible swim.
He’ll own the top six all-time after the olympics. Seven of the top 10. Not sure he will be sub-50 in the heats at Tokyo, but he certainly will be at Trials final, and Olympic semi-final / final.
If lochte hopped on USRPT he can probably make the 200 IM in 2022
Plus hopped on a scale and made an adjustment in that department.
I am not going to pretend I didn’t notice that.
Awesome to watch! So excited to see what he does tomorrow