TOKYO – US swimmer Caeleb Dressel opens his bid for a Michael Phelps-style medal haul at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, as judo’s Shohei Ono will try to keep the golds rolling in for Japan.
Dressel sat out Sunday’s 4x100m heats but the United States still qualified second fastest behind Italy, and they will be favourites for the morning final.
It could be the start of a seven-title spree for Dressel, 24, whose 13 world titles have prompted inevitable comparisons with Phelps — winner of eight golds in 2008 and 23 in total.
The pressure is on the US team to emulate the golden generation of the retired Phelps along with Ryan Lochte, Nathan Adrian and Tony Ervin, who failed to qualify.
“I think everyone who is on the team, we’re going to have to pick up the pace…
