Caeleb Dressel couldn’t ask for a better comeback than he received in the 2023 US Open Swimming Championship. The platform was set beautifully for him as it showcased almost all the big names whom he might face in the Olympic Trials next year. Moreover, the 100m butterfly victory in the championship earned Dressel the confidence that he lacked on previous occasions for several reasons. However, the swimming phenom didn’t agree to take the credit for his changeover entirely himself. 

Caeleb Dressel shared some of his experiences with others that drove him to break the shambles of defeat. Among those others, someone appeared who also made it big in the penultimate championship. 

Caeleb Dressel on his training experience with Joshua Liendo 

In a conversation with SwimSwam recently, Caeleb Dressel took names of his swimming mates at the University of Florida. The 22-year-old swimmer, Joshua ‘Josh’ Liendo stood apart. Narrating his tryst with Josh Liendo, the former world champion quipped, “of course Josh is the obvious one. I mean you have a guy who’s been…like we swim all the same three events.. big three”. Incidentally, Josh Liendo clinched the silver medal in the 50m free in the US Open this year whereas Dressel earned the 100m fly. 

However, Dressel betted on Joshua Liendo’s chances of bettering him. The 27-year-old swimmer claimed, “he’s very twitchy so of course we match up well.. he can beat me and kick every practice”. That praise might give the Canadian swimmer a feeling of something indispensable. However, his success in season after season has landed him in front of Caeleb Dressel to throw him a challenge. 

Josh Liendo’s success in recent times 

Caeleb Dressel faced a huge challenge in his forte event 100m freestyle in the 2023 US Open Swimming Championship. In the B Final of that event, Josh Liendo bettered him with a timing of 48.60. Just before the US Open, being the Florida Gator, Josh participated in the 2023 Georgia Fall Invitational. There, he took the season-best 40.90 to bag the gold in the 100m free.

Read more: Caeleb Dressel Has a Message for Haters After US Open Swimming Championship

In the Fukuoka World Championship, Josh Liendo couldn’t see the best outcomes. But in the semis of 100m fly, his 50. 75 timing landed him in the 3rd position. But Josh earned reverence mainly from his outings in his freshman year for the Florida Gators. He grabbed four national championships to pen his name in the history book. In the same year, Josh Liendo appeared victorious in seven All-American honors. 

From the freshman year, Josh Liendo has shown signs of gradual improvement. In that stint, the US Open Swimming Championship just posed as a witness. Meanwhile, Caeleb Dressel might expect tougher competition from Josh Liendo in the coming days. 

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