It made no sense that Caeleb Dressel didn’t dominate the U.S. National Championships this season after winning seven gold medals at the 2017 World Championships and looking so strong in early-season meets.
Now, more information is coming out.
During the NBC telecast of the Pan-Pacific Championships, announcer Dan Hicks mentioned that Dressel had suffered a motorcycle accident in his hometown of Gainesville, Florida at the end of June. Dressel brushed it off as nothing serious, but Swimming World Magazine reported that “according to a source, he was out of the pool for two full weeks and he only decided a few days before Nationals that he would compete.”
Obviously still not 100%, Dressel competed well at the Pan-Pacs, taking silver medals in the 50 m and 100 m Freestyles and winning the 100 m Butterfly.