Paris 2024 Olympics: The Kristof Milak-Caleb Dressel rivalry

The emerging rivalry between Caeleb Dressel and Kristof Milak can inspire the pair to more world records at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Caeleb Dressel congratulates Kristof Milak after the men’s 100m butterfly final at the Tokyo Olympics. | Photo Credit: Getty Image

The emerging rivalry between Caeleb Dressel and Kristof Milak can inspire the pair to more world records at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The American broke his previous mark to win the men’s 100m butterfly gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Dressel won the final in 49.45 ahead of Hungarian Milak by 0.23 seconds, with the American breaking his previous world record of 49.5 set in Gwangju in July 2019.

Milak, who won the 200m butterfly in an Olympic record time and holds the world record for that event, said Dressel pushed him to get better, eyeing off a time under 49 seconds.

First-time Olympian Milak, 21, said it was the beginning of a long rivalry with 24-year-old Dressel, who went to Rio in 2016, where he won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay but not in any individual events.

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Hungarian Kristof Milak has warned American Caeleb Dressel that he will catch him in the 100m butterfly and dominate the event in both distances.

Milak, the 200m winner in Tokyo, came in just 0.23 seconds behind Dressel to claim the Olympic silver medal, as the American broke his world record.

Going into the race, Dressel held seven of the 10 fastest times in the event’s history but was pushed by the 21-year-old Hungarian.

A possibility, that Dressel did not argue with his rival’s assessment, and there is a healthy respect between the two.

The Hungarian said he used the extra year after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were delayed by the coronavirus pandemic to add weight and build up his muscles, giving him a better chance to take on the imposing Dressel.

Dressel won the final in 49.45 ahead of Hungarian Milak by 0.23 seconds, with the American breaking his previous world record of 49.5 set in Gwangju in July 2019.

The American had already won the men’s 100m freestyle event before the gold medal in the 100m fly.

First-time Olympian Milak, 21, said it was the beginning of a long rivalry with 24-year-old Dressel, who went to Rio in 2016, where he won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay but not in any individual events.

(With inputs from Reuters)