Caeleb Dressel completes first competitive swims in nearly a year - Atlanta Classic 2023 Day 1 full results and times

After nearly a year out of competitive action, Caeleb Dressel has made his return.

The seven-time Olympic gold medallist swam in the 100m butterfly preliminaries and finals at the McAuley Aquatic Center, site of the 1996 Olympic Games, in the Atlanta Classic on Friday 12 May.

Dressel finished with a time of 53.60 in the preliminaries and wrapped the day up with a second-place finish in the final with a time of 52.41 behind Canada's Josh Liendo, who won with a time of 51.79. All around, it was an encouraging re-entry into the competitive space for the decorated Olympian.

The 26-year-old was originally scheduled to swim in the 200m free earlier in the day, but declared a false start, presumably to focus on the 100m butterfly.

The Florida native won five golds at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 to add to his two relay titles from Rio 2016.

Full results and times from Day 1 finals of the Atlanta Classic, including swims from Katie Ledecky, Summer McIntosh, Kate Douglass, Robert Finke and Natalie Hinds, are listed below.

Dressel's mental recharge away from competitive swimming

Dressel's sabbatical away from the action began in the middle of the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in June 2022, when he withdrew from the competition after winning two gold medals.

At the time, USA Swimming Managing Director Lindsay Mintenko said, "He's just not fit right now. It’s the right decision and especially for Caeleb’s long-term health."

He spoke publicly about his situation for the first time in September 2022, citing a need to focus on life away from the pool, including a honeymoon in Iceland, buying a tractor and hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail.

"I know I can have swimming and happiness," Dressel said at the time. "I had them both at one point in my life and I’m working on it. If you need a break, take one. I’ll be back."

And back he is.

Atlanta Classic 2023 Day 1 full results

Women's 200m freestyle

1. Katie Ledecky — 1:55.63
2. Isabel Ivey — 1:59.60
3. Addison Sauickie — 2:00.51
4. Kate McCarville/Jillian Barczyk — 2:01.27

6. Sloane Reinstein — 2:01.75
7. Gabby DeLoof — 2:02.05
8. Abby McCulloh — 2:02.81
9. Sophia Knapp — 2:03.23
10. Lauren Wetherell — 2:04.37

Men's 200m freestyle

1. Kieran Smith — 1:47.62
2. Jake Mitchell — 1:48.09
3. Alfonso Mestre — 1:48.16
4. Zane Grothe — 1:49.43
5. Joaquin Vargas — 1:49.62
6. Bobby Finke — 1:51.19
7. Ryan Erisman – 1:51.65
8. Reese Braznell — 1:52.25
9. Zach Hils — 1:52.42
10. Michael Bonson — 1:53.88

Women's 100m breaststroke

1. Kate Douglass — 1:07.07
2. Zoie Hartman — 1:08.85
3. Hazal Ozkan — 1:10.14
4. Alexis Yager — 1:10.34
5. Summer McIntosh — 1:10.77
6. Brynn Curtis — 1:10.89
7. Katie Christopherson — 1:10.98
8. Josephine Fuller — 1:11.21
9. Evelyn Entrekin — 1:11.74
10. Nina Kucheran — 1:12.50

Men's 100m breaststroke

1. Aleksas Savickas — 1:01.80
2. Matt Fallon — 1:01.92
3. Michael Houlie — 1:02.25
4. Raphael Windmuller — 1:02.50
5. Joao Victor Caballero — 1:03.24
6. Britton Spann — 1:04.48
7. Connor Haigh — 1:04.59
8. Arie Voloschin/Daniel King — 1:04.92
9. Henry Bethel — 1:06.47

Women's 100m butterfly

1. Kate Douglass — 57.19
2. Summer McIntosh — 57.86
3. Natalie Hinds — 58.87
4. Callie Dickinson — 59.26
5. Leah Gingrich — 59.78
6. Addison Reese — 1:01.03
7. Avery Bargeron — 1:01.56
8. Amanda Ray — 1:01.65
9. Lexie Mulvihill — 1:01.96
10. Abigail Gibbons — 1:01.97

Men's 100m butterfly

1. Josh Liendo — 51.79
2. Caeleb Dressel — 52.41
3. Martin Espernberger — 53.05
4. Iago Moussalem — 53.30
5. Jace Crawford — 53.41
6. Kamal Muhammad — 53.88
7. Ben Irwin — 54.10
8. Sohib Khaled — 54.93
9. Wesley Ng — 55.21
10. Eamon Monaghan — 55.63

Women's 400m IM

1. Emma Weyant — 4:39.32
2. Mabel Zavaros — 4:39.93
3. Mia Abruzzo — 4:51.09
4. Gracie Weyant — 4:51.84
5. Anna Auld — 4:53.03
6. Hannah Ownbey — 4:53.31
7. Sienna Angove — 4:54.32
8. Amanda Ray — 4:55.40
9. Alex Mitchell — 4:56.28
10. Madison Kolessar — 4:56.60

Men's 400m IM

1. Robert Finke — 4:16.63
2. Mason Laur — 4:24.79
3. Giovanni Linscheer — 4:25.92
4. Jack VanDeusen — 4:31.44
5. Cooper McDonald — 4:32.52
6. Danny Schmidt — 4:33.26
7. Peter Bretzmann — 4:33.75
8. Amadeusz Knop — 4:34.16
9. Nathan Jacobbe — 4:37.55
10. Mason Mathias — 4:39.29

Schedule 2023 Atlanta Classic

Below is the complete schedule for the 2023 Atlanta Classic. All times are Eastern.

Friday 12 May

• 9:00 - Prelims
• 18:00 - Finals

Saturday 13 May

• 9:00 - Prelims
• 18:00 - Finals

Sunday 14 May

• 9:00 - Prelims
• 18:00 - Finals

2023 Atlanta Classic - how to watch live

All three days of finals at the 2023 Atlanta Classic will stream live online at the Swim Atlanta website.