Caeleb Dressel Holds Off Michael Andrew, Breaks 13-Year-Old U.S. Open Record

By Riley Overend on SwimSwam

2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

• April 26-30, 2022
• Greensboro, NC
• Greensboro Aquatic Center
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times: Prelims – 9 am ET / Finals – 6 pm ET
• Worlds Qualifying Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ‘Em Contest
• How To Watch
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Day 2 Finals Live Recap

Caeleb Dressel needed a record swim to hold off Michael Andrew in the 50m butterfly final at the U.S. International Team Trials on Wednesday night. 

Dressel reached the wall first in 22.84 — the fastest time ever on American soil — outpacing Bryan Lundquist’s 13-year-old U.S. Open record of 22.91. It marks the fourth U.S. Open LCM record for Dressel, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist. 

A U.S. Open Record is the fastest swim on American soil. Dressel’s 2019 swim of 22.35 remains the overall American Record in the race.

Andrew finished just .03 behind Dressel in 22.87, also under the U.S. Open record. The American duo now owns two of the three fastest 50 fly times in the world this year behind Brazilian world record holder Nicholas Santos (22.73).

Best 50 fly times ever (LCM)

1. Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 22.27 (2018)
2. Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 22.35 (2019) 
3. Rafael Munoz (ESP) – 22.43 (2009)
4. Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 22.48 (2018)
5. Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 22.53 (2018)
6. Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 22.57 (2019)
7. Nicholas Santos (BRA) – 22.60 (2019)
8. Nicholas Santos (BRA) – 22.61 (2017)
9. Milorad Cavic (SRB) – 22.67 (2009)
10. Rafael Munoz (ESP) – 22.68 (2009)

Dressel won a gold medal in the 50 fly at Worlds in 2019 after finishing fourth in 2017. The 25-year-old already holds the American record in the event, a blazing 22.35 from Worlds in 2019. Dressel scratched out of the 200m free prelims Wednesday morning to focus on the 50 fly. 

Andrew was right on the heels of his personal best, less than a tenth of a second away from the sprint star’s 22.80 at Worlds in 2019.

Maxime Rooney placed third in 23.25, Dalton Lowe earned a fourth-place finish in 23.77, and Zach Harting finished fifth in 23.81.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Caeleb Dressel Holds Off Michael Andrew, Breaks 13-Year-Old U.S. Open Record