Caeleb Dressel secured his second individual race for the Paris Olympics, reaffirming his status as one of the top swimmers in the world after his stellar performance at the last Olympics. Meanwhile, Katie Ledecky continued her dominance, and Kate Douglass emerged as a rising star.

Dressel, a five-time gold medalist from the Tokyo Games, won the men’s 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials on Saturday night with a time of 50.19 seconds. This follows his victory in the 50 freestyle, giving him the opportunity to defend another gold medal in Paris. “I think all of my swims, I executed as well as I could,” Dressel commented.

Kate Douglass also made headlines by securing her third individual event at the Olympics with a victory in the 200-meter individual medley. Douglass, who previously won the 200 breaststroke and 100 freestyle, finished in 2:06.79, ahead of Alex Walsh who took the second Olympic spot in 2:07.86. “I’m really happy with that,” Douglass said. “I was coming into the meet trying to win all three events, but I didn’t think I’d be able to achieve that. So I’m happy I did.”

Katie Ledecky, a staple in U.S. swimming, claimed her fourth victory of the trials, winning the 800 freestyle in 8 minutes, 14.12 seconds. Paige Madden secured the second spot in 8:20.71. Ledecky will compete in the 400, 800, and 1,500 freestyle events, as well as the 4×200 free relay in Paris.

Dressel’s performance was notable, though he didn’t match his world record of 49.45 seconds set in Tokyo. He comfortably led the race, finishing ahead of 17-year-old Thomas Heilman, who secured the second spot with a time of 50.80 seconds. Despite missing out on defending his 100 freestyle title, Dressel will swim up to three relays in Paris, aiming for another strong Olympic showing.

Dressel’s journey back to the top has been marked by a break from swimming in 2022 to regain his passion for the sport. He acknowledges the competition but remains confident in his ability to perform under pressure. “I know I’m the defending champ,” Dressel said. “But I think I’m chasing some of those guys as well.”

Adding to the personal significance of the trials, Dressel shared the joy of having his 4-month-old son, August Wilder, in the stands. “My son got to watch me make an Olympic team,” Dressel said with a smile. “He will not remember it, but I’ll tell him. I’ve got pictures to prove it.”

Simone Manuel, the first Black female swimmer to win an individual gold medal, advanced to the 50 freestyle final with the fourth-fastest time, ensuring her chance to compete in an individual event at her third Olympics. Gretchen Walsh topped the semifinals, followed by Torri Huske and Abbey Weitzeil.

These trials highlight the depth and talent of the U.S. swimming team as they prepare for the Paris Olympics, with seasoned champions and emerging stars ready to make their mark.