Caeleb Dressel won two more gold medals to give him five in the Tokyo Olympics, winning the 50-meter freestyle and putting the Americans ahead to stay in the 4x100 medley relay on their way to a world record.
“I’m proud of myself. I feel like I reached what my potential was here at these Games,” Dressel said. “It was just really fun racing.” Dressel join Americans Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi, as well as East Germany’s Kristin Otto, as the only swimmers to win as many as five golds at a single Olympics. Phelps did it three times.
Concerning his faith in God, “It’s the reason I’m in the sport—not just to go fast times, but to inspire people and show them where I find my happiness with what God’s given me,” according to a 2016 story in the Baptist Standard. One of Dressel’s favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 40:31: “But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles.” His large eagle tattoo was inspired by that verse.
As for now,“I’m really glad to be done,” said the 24-year-old Floridian, who captured his fourth and fifth gold medals of the Tokyo Games on Sunday. “I give myself a pat on the back and then I just want to go home, put it away and move forward,” Dressel said, according to AP.