Caeleb Dressel Heartbroken After Not Qualifying for 100-Meter Butterfly Final

Dressel broke down crying after failing to reach the final.

Aug 2, 2024; Nanterre, France; Caeleb Dressel (USA) in the men’s 100-meter butterfly preliminary heats during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Paris La Défense Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 Summer Olympics are not going the way Caeleb Dressel had hoped. That disappointment showed on Friday, as the eight-time gold medalist broke down and cried after failing to reach the final in the men's 100-meter butterfly.

Dressel finished fifth in his heat with a time of 51.57, more than a second behind France's Maxime Grousset who touched first. It is an event Dressel owns the world record in (49.45) after setting it during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The disappointment of that race came not long after the 27-year-old finished sixth in the 50-meter freestyle, another event in which he was the defending Olympic champion. He finished with a time of 21.61, Australia's Cameron McEvoy won in 21.25 seconds.

Those combined disappointments boiled over and cameras caught Dressel crying after he learned he didn't advance to the 100 butterfly final.

Caeleb Dressel was visibly emotional after not qualifying for the 100m freestyle final. pic.twitter.com/jv3mvKN2In

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) August 2, 2024

💔 to see Caleb Dressel’s heart breaking after not making finals to defend his Olympic championship 100m butterfly 🥺#gatornation is proud of you Caleb! 🐊#Paris2024 @GatorsSwimDv pic.twitter.com/Cx8gNMBAep

— Cyndi Chambers (@Cyndicha) August 2, 2024

Dressel was the undisputed star of the Tokyo Olympics, winning five gold medals. He took home titles in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, and 100-meter butterfly, and was part of the winning 4x100-meter freestyle and medley relays. He opened the 2024 Olympics by anchoring the Americans to a gold medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay.

It wasn't all smooth sailing for Dressel after the Tokyo games. He arrived at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest in the middle of his prime but withdrew after two events for health reasons. It turned out, Dressel was suffering from anxiety and took eight months away from the sport. He claims to have rediscovered his love for the sport over time and showed up at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials in a much better place.

After the event, Dressel said, "I'd like to be performing better, but I'm not. I trained to go faster than the times I'm going. I know that. So, yeah. It's tough, a little heartbreaking. A little heartbreaking for sure.

It is sad to see Dressel's individual events not lead to success after such a deeply personal struggle. There is a chance for him to finish these Olympics on a high note, though. He still has a chance to add to his eight Olympic gold medals with the 4x100 medley relay and the mixed medley relay still to come.