US swimmer Caeleb Dressel snags fourth Olympic gold medal

U.S. swimmer Caeleb Dressel won his fourth gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics after taking first place in the men’s 50-meter freestyle just 0.18 seconds off the world record time. 

The Florida native broke the Olympic record in the race in Japan early Sunday local time, the final day of swimming competition at the Summer Olympics, which were delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Dressel had been a favorite to take the top spot in shortest swimming event at the Olympics, finishing the race Sunday with a time of 21.07 seconds, according to The Washington Post. 

Dressel maintained a steady lead throughout the race, with video showing the 24-year-old throwing up his fists in celebration as he looked toward the scoreboard at the end of the contest. 

KING CAELEB

Caeleb Dressel BREAKS the Olympic record to win GOLD in the men’s 50m free! #TokyoOlympics

NBC
https://t.co/FmEtvutDRA
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— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) August 1, 2021

France’s Florent Manaudou took the silver medal with a time of 21.55 seconds, with Brazil’s Bruno Fratus in third, finishing the race in 21.57 seconds. 

Dressel previously won gold at this year’s Olympics in the 4×100 freestyle relay, the 100 free and the 100 butterfly, breaking his own world record in the butterfly with a time of 49.54 seconds. 

The swimmer’s latest win brings him to a total of six Olympic gold medals overall, having already won two in 2016 in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay and in the 4×100 meter medley relay. 

Dressel is set to swim again Sunday in the medley relay, the final swimming event of the Tokyo Olympics, though Great Britain’s team is entering the race as the favorite after gaining the fastest time in the qualifying round at 3:31.47. 

The U.S. currently leads the world in most medals gathered so far at the Tokyo Olympics, with 47 in total, including 17 gold, 17 silver and 13 bronze. 

However, China follows close behind with 46 medals, holding the most gold medals of any country so far at 21 total, according to the Post. 

Dressel and fellow U.S. swimming star Katie Ledecky are currently tied for most total medals among the U.S. swim team, with a number of other swimmers, including Regan Smith, Lily King and Ryan Murphy, also making it on the Olympic podium.