Fans of Team USA voiced their opinions about Caeleb Dressel’s disappointing performance at the Olympics, with many describing the accomplished swimmer as ‘washed up.’
Dressel had a challenging day, finishing 13th in the men’s 100m butterfly semifinal with a time of 51.57. This was a stark contrast to his world-record time of 49.45 set during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Given his unusual performance, social media users shared their frustrations regarding his apparent decline.
‘Caleb Dressel, get it together! Lochte and Phelps are watching right now,’ one user commented.
‘It’s painful to see Caleb Dressel swim and realize he’s not performing like he used to,’ another user expressed.
Fans claimed that Caeleb Dressel is ‘washed’ after a difficult day of swimming on Friday
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist has not earned a medal in individual races in Paris
Additional fans highlighted how ‘washed up’ the American swimmer seemed, as the term was frequently used in tweets discussing his defeats.
‘It’s painful to see Dressel washed,’ mentioned a third user, while another stated ‘Caeleb Dressel is clearly washed, what’s going on…’
‘Dressel is washed. The entire swim team needs to rethink their strategy,’ suggested a fifth commentator.
Prior to finishing 13th, Dressel had placed sixth in the men’s 50m freestyle final. He also competed in the mixed 4 x 100m medley relay semifinal – where his team came in first – and finished sixth in the men’s 100m butterfly quarterfinal, allowing him to advance.
Dressel helped Team USA secure a gold medal in the men’s 4×100 relay on Saturday
After winning five golds at the Tokyo Games, Dressel has slightly faltered this year
Fans expressed their opinions on social media regarding his performance dip
His inconsistent performances follow his role in anchoring the Americans to gold in the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay, which kicked off their campaign.
Dressel’s decline became apparent on Thursday when he secured 13th in the men’s 50m freestyle quarterfinal. Nonetheless, he placed fifth in the semifinals before struggling in the final event.
Originating from Green Cove Springs, Florida, Dressel has previously clinched five gold medals in Tokyo and two in Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately, it appears he may have reached his peak, as his journey in Paris has been filled with challenges.
