A Swimming Star is Born: Caeleb Dressel

 

(Photo Credit by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

USA dominated the sports of swimming and track and field, in which U.S. athletes won 11 and seven gold medals, respectively. Star athlete Caeleb Dressel led the way among individual American gold medal winners with five gold medals in total in the swimming events.

Born August 16, 1996 and from Green Cove Springs, Florida,  Caeleb Remel Dressel is an American swimmer who specializes in the freestyle and butterfly sprint events. Dressel currently represents the Cali Condors which is part of the International Swimming League.

Swimming with the strokes of a champion, Dressel set an Olympic record in the semifinals in Tokyo and shaved 0.03 more off that time to set the new world record in the final. It’s the first world record for an American swimmer in Tokyo, and only the second individual world record set at this Olympics. Not too shabby!

Dressel now owns the five fastest times in the event. That’s no small feat given that the record he broke in 2019 belonged to Phelps, who was the first to break the 50-second barrier at the world championships in 2009, which Phelps swam in a type of fast suit that is no longer allowed in competition. Dressel’s time placed him in the company of other great American champions in the event, from Phelps to Ian Crocker, Pablo Morales and Mark Spitz, each of whom contributed to faster and faster races that set the stage for Dressel’s impressive time.

 

(photo credit belongs to Jack Spitser)

 

The 24 year old athlete may have made it look easy but says it was definitely not. After all, he participated in a total of 12 swims. That much activity can burn out even the best swimmers. “I can be proud of every swim, every effort I put in the water, every mental approach to every single race,” Dressel says. “I was nervous before races. Every race was not perfect. … Every morning when I woke up the first words weren’t always, ‘Oh, I’m so excited.’ Sometimes it was, ‘Oh f***, this is going to suck today.’ Sorry, just trying to be honest with you guys. In spite of a smidge of imperfection, Dressel went on to say “But just because it’s bad doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.”

Results don’t lie and Dressel’s final results were truly phenomenal with five gold medals, two world records, two more Olympic records, and a seat next to Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz as just the third American male swimmer to win three individual golds in a single Summer Games. As Dressel is now literally the world’s greatest swimmer, it can definitely be said that whatever he is doing is working and he should just keep doing it.

The only thing lacking from making Dressel’s Tokyo Olympic experience absolutely perfect was s a sixth gold medal. Sadly, his bid to win a sixth gold medal fell apart with another U.S. relay debacle. Apparently, Team USA was just too far behind in the 4×100-meter mixed medley when their top swimmer took over. In the end, the best Dressel could do was rally the U.S. to a fifth-place finish in an event that features two men and two women on each team. “Fifth place is unacceptable for USA Swimming,” Dressel said. “It stings.”

In spite of that loss, nothing can take away his impressive victories or world records.  It will be amazing to see what happens in the 2024 olympics in Paris.

 

(photo credit goes to Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports)

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Lifeguards: Answering the Call!

 

Swimming has always been a popular way to pass the time, exercise, have fun and cool off. In fact, it dates back to the 1800s when it was referred to as bathing.  However, water isn’t always the safest place to be. Whether the swimming takes place in open water like lakes, rivers, or the ocean or in a public swimming pool, it is a good idea to have someone nearby who can help if something goes wrong.  This person should not only be an excellent swimmer but also be trained in life saving abilities and first aid.  The challenge was recognized and thus the lifeguard came to be.

In 1912, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) developed a National Lifesaving Service. Two years later, in 1914, the American Red Cross Lifesaving organization was established. This service trained swimmers in lifesaving and CPR courses. After intensive training for certification, they were sent to work as lifeguards in their local communities.

Before long, lifeguarding became an exciting and rewarding career choice for those who enjoyed a good challenge. As swimming became more popular, non–swimming rescue methods were developed to help aid lifeguards. This was particularly beneficial for lifeguards at public beaches dealing with large crowds spread over long distances. 

In the beginning,  the lifeguard training programs focused primarily on personal water safety such as how to prevent drownings and protect oneself in emergencies. Non-swimming rescue methods, such as throwing a rope or a floating object to the human in the water, were encouraged because lifeguards considered swimming rescues only as a last resort due to the hazard presented by both a panicked swimmer and current wave conditions.

 

 

However, swimming rescues were unavoidable for professional beach lifeguards. Special tools, such as the landline and the dory, were developed to assist in swimming rescues. Over time, improved lifesaving devices were created by beach lifeguards all over the country. These devices included the rescue buoy, the rescue tube, and the rescue board. All were  commonly used around the world at beaches, pools, and water parks. Today, many beach lifeguards use powerboats and personal watercraft to assist them in reaching off-shore swimmers in distress quickly. In addition, they use scuba equipment for deep water rescues. Another example is that lifeguards sometimes use boating equipment to help stranded boaters by guiding them back to shore.

Along with protecting the safety of swimmers, lifeguards also play an active role in educating people on pool and water safety. Many lifeguards also teach swim lessons to children and adults. Instructing children on the safety rules of the pool is a common duty for lifeguards. Instead of immediately removing a child from the water, the lifeguard can explain the rules and help him understand the reasoning behind the safety measures. Additionally, lifeguards can caution swimmers against other dangers in the waterways.

 

 

On public beaches where swimmers use lakes, rivers and oceans for recreation, lifeguards periodically must evacuate everyone for safety in the event a shark or other dangers are spotted nearby. It is in these cases that the lifeguards not only must act quickly but also help keep everyone calm and prevent a panic. Severe weather also can cause a beach evacuation.

Today, lifeguards rescue more than roughly 100,000 people from drowning annually. Even though swimming and recreational water activities are increasing in popularity, the incidences of drowning have decreased dramatically due to lifeguards and the work they do. Think being a lifeguard is an exciting career choice you might enjoy?  We offer certifications and employment.  We are currently training and certifying lifeguards in multiple locations.  Click the link below to learn more.  

Red Cross Lifeguard Certification

https://theswimmingswan.com/red-cross-certification-courses/lifeguard-certification

 

This article is brought to you by: The Swimming Swan 

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