Olympic Swimmers Caeleb Dressel, Lydia Jacoby Bobbleheads Unveiled

By Sharon Robb
MILWAUKEE, Wisc., February 25, 2022–The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled its limited-edition bobbleheads featuring swimmers Caeleb Dressel and Lydia Jacoby.

Dressel, a Clay High School, Bolles and University of Florida alum, is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder in three events.

Jacoby won a gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke as a 17-year-old at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The first bobbleheads of Dressel and Jacoby are being produced by the Museum.

The smiling and wide-eyed Dressel bobblehead, with water up to his waist, is raising his index fingers on both hands over his head, signaling No. 1 after a gold-medal performance in the 100-meter freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics. The base, which bears his name, is transparent.

Wearing a white USA warmup jacket and pants, the smiling Jacoby bobblehead has a gold medal around her neck. With her arms extended over her head, she is holding flowers in her right hand as she celebrates her victory in the 100-meter breaststroke in Tokyo. She is standing on a patriotic base bearing her name in metallic gold.

Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,020 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in July, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Dressel left the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the world’s most dominant swimmer. The 25-year-old Florida native won gold medals in the 50 and 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. He was also a member of the 400 freestyle and 400 medley gold-medal relays to become only the fifth American swimmer to win five gold medals in a single Olympic Games since 1970, joining Phelps, Mark Spitz, Eric Heiden, and Matt Biondi. He also became the first swimmer in the history of swimming at the modern Olympic Games to win gold medals in the 50 and 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly at the same Olympics. That pushed his total to seven golds after winning his first two in Rio de Janeiro in the 400 freestyle and 400 medley relays.

A member of the Cali Condors in the International Swimming League, Dressel holds world records in the 100 butterfly (long course and short course), 50 freestyle (short course) and 100 individual medley (short course). Dressel won 10 NCAA titles at Florida (2015-18).

Also known for his tattoos, Dressel’s bobbleheads will include the face of an alligator on his left forearm, an eagle with the flag of America on his left shoulder, a bear on his upper left arm, and the American flag on his left forearm.

A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Jacoby became the first swimmer from Alaska to qualify for an Olympic Games when she qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in the 100-meter breaststroke. The 17-year-old was one of 11 teenage female swimmers to make the team.

After ranking third overall after the semifinals with a time of 1:05.72, Jacoby had a winning time of 1:04.95 in the final to garner Team USA’s first gold medal. It was the first medal won by an Alaskan-born swimmer at an Olympic Games. Her time also set a new National Age Group record for American girls in the 17-18-year-old age group. On the final day of competition, Jacoby won a silver medal as part of the 400-meter medley relay.

After the Olympics, Jacoby competed in the 2021 FINA Swimming World Cup and was the overall highest scoring female American competitor in the international competition. She won silver medals in the 50-meter breaststroke in Berlin and Budapest and in the 100-meter breaststroke in Budapest. She also won a bronze medal in the 100-meter breaststroke in Berlin. A graduate of Seward High School in Seward, Alaska, Jacoby committed to University of Texas starting in the fall of 2022.

“I am excited to partner with the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in the hopes of bringing fans and fellow swimmers a smile,” Jacoby said.

Said National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar, “We are excited to release these bobbleheads of Caeleb Dressel and Lydia Jacoby who have both shined on the world’s biggest staged and inspired so many across the globe. We think these fans will love these new bobbleheads featured two swimming superstars.”

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It opened to the public on February 1, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country.

For more information call 1-800-414-1482 or email info@bobbleheadhall.com. The bobbleheads are only available in its online store.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://www.swim4soflo.com

Floridians Finke, Dressel Win Gold For Team USA On Historical Night At Tokyo Olympics

By Sharon Robb
TOKYO, Japan, July 28, 2021–In one of the most exciting nights in the history of Florida swimming, Caeleb Dressel and Bobby Finke won gold medals for Team USA Wednesday at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

It was Dressel’s first individual gold medal and fourth overall (three others on relays in two Olympic Games) against the world’s fastest final field ever assembled in the event.

Dressel was emotional after the race, trying to hold back tears that kept coming while watching his parents, wife and sister on NBC’s coverage of the watch party in Orlando.

“I don’t know if this has set in yet,” Dressel said. “Right now I’m kind of hurting. It’s been a really tough year, it was really hard, so to have the results show up really makes me some kind of happy.”

Finke, 21, of University of Florida and St. Petersburg Aquatics, won the first-ever men’s 800-meter freestyle in an American record 7:41.87. Reigning world champion Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy was second in 7:42.11 and Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk was third in 7:42.33.

Looking out of medal contention for most of the race in fifth place, Finke found another gear after the final turn with a 26.3 split and reeled in four swimmers in the final 25 meters to win his first Olympic final.

“Oh yeah,” Finke said, when asked if he had surprised himself with his performance. “My best time going into this was (7:47). And then in prelims, I dropped down to (7:42). And then here I dropped another second. So I had no idea that I was going to do that, honestly.”

The gold is the first for an American male swimmer in an Olympic distance race since 1984.

“The pain kind of goes away once you just start,” Finke said. “Your mind just kind of disappears, and you’re just kind of blacking out a little bit. I just wanted to get my hand on the wall. I am so happy that I was able to switch it into another gear. This means a lot. Coming into this there was a lot of doubt behind American distance.”

Local swimmers results:

Azura’s Colleen Furgeson of the Marshall Islands was fifth in her 100-meter freestyle heat in 58.71.

Azura has four swimmers competing Thursday. They are Abbas Qali of Kuwait, 100 butterfly; Davidson Vincent of Haiti, 100 butterfly; Steven Aimable, 100 butterfly; and Celina Marquez of El Salvador, 200 backstroke.

In other championship medal finals:

Women’s 200-meter butterfly: No one was going to catch China’s Yufei Zhang who won in an Olympic record 2:03.86, the fastest time in 12 years. China has won three of the last four gold medals in the event. The U.S. took silver and bronze with Regan Smith in 2:05.30 and Hali Flickinger in 2:05.65.

Women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay:
China upset Australia for the gold medal and Katie Ledecky turned in on with her 1:53 anchor leg to give the U.S. a silver medal. Heavy favorite Australia took the bronze. All three teams swam under the old world record of 7:41.50. China won in a world record 7:40.33, the U.S. took silver in an American record 7:40.73 and Australia third in an Oceanic record 7:41.29. Ledecky has now won three Olympics medals including one gold. She can win one more Saturday in the 800 freestyle.

Men’s 200-meter breaststroke: Aussie Izaac Stubblety-Cook surged in the final 50 meters to win in an Olympic record 2:06.38. Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands was second in 2:07.01 just ahead of Finland’s Matti Mattsson in 2:07.13.

WEDNESDAY RESULTS
WOMEN
200-meter butterfly: 1. Yufei Zhang, CHN 2:03.86, 2. Regan Smith, US 2:05.30, 3. Hali Flickinger, US 2:05.65.

4×200-meter freestyle relay: 1. China 7:40.33, 2. United States 7:40.73, 3. Australia 7:41.29.

MEN
800-meter freestyle: 1. Bobby Finke, US 7:41.87, 2. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy 7:42.11, 3. Mykailo Romanchuk, UKR 7:42.33.

200-meter breaststroke: 1. Izaac Stubblety-Cook, AUS 2:06.38, 2. Arno Kamminga, NED 2:07.01, 3. Matti Mattsson, FIN 2:07.13.

100-meter freestyle: 1. Caeleb Dressel, US 47.02, 2. Kyle Chalmers, AUS 47.08, 3. Kliment Kolesnikov, ROC 47.44.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://www.swim4soflo.com

Peaty, Dressel, Hosszu Among Gold Medalists; SOFLO’s Atkinson Finishes 11th On Day Two Of 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships

By Sharon Robb

GWANGJU, South Korea, July 22, 2019—A day after breaking his own world record, Adam Peaty of Great Britain sealed the deal by winning the 100-meter breaststroke at the 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships on Monday at Nambu International Aquatics Centre.

Peaty, 24, made history on opening day as the first man to break 57 seconds in an astounding 56.88, breaking his own world record by 0.22 sconds. He came back in Monday’s finals to win the gold medal in 57.14, fourth fastest swim in history. Peaty is the first male swimmer to win five world championship medals in the breaststroke events.

Brit teammate James Wilby took silver in 58.46 and China’s Yan Zibei won bronze in 58.63.

In the women’s semifinals, Russian Yuliya Efimova(1:05.56), the fastest woman in the world this year, and Amerian Lilly King (1:05.66) are the top two qualifiers for the 100-meter breaststroke.

South Florida Aquatic Club’s Ali Atkinson of Jamaica failed to make it into finals tying for 11th in 1:07.11. The four-time Olympian was a bronze medalist in the event in 2015. Atkinson is also entered in the 50-meter butterfly and 50-meter breaststroke.

Canadian Maggie MacNeil knocked off Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrum in the 100-meter butterfly. MacNeil, fifth at the turn, found another gear to win in 55.83. Sjostrum was second in 56.22 and Aussie Emma McKeon was third in 56.61. American Kelsi Dahlia was sixth in 57.11.

Sjostrum saw her win streak snapped. She held all 10 of the all-time top 10 times and was the second woman ever to break 56. Her last defeat dates back to December, 2012. MacNeil is now the second fastest woman in history.

Clay High School, Bolles Sharks and University of Florida alum Caeleb Dressel won the 50-meter butterfly in an American and meet record 22.35. Dressel is the first American man to win this event at the world championships. It was his second gold medal of worlds.

“That’s faster than two years ago and a better place than two years ago,” Dressel said. “It’s good, good for Team USA and I’m glad I can be a part of keeping that ball rolling.”

Russian Oleg Kostin was second in a national record 22.70 and Nicholas Santos of Brazil, at age 39, was third in 22.79.

Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu started her gold medal campaign with defending her title in the 200-meter individual medley. Hosszu was clocked in 2:07.53 and became the first woman to win four straight titles in an event.

China’s 2012 Olympic champion Ye Shiwen was second in 2:08.60, her first medal since 2011 and best time since 2012. Canadian Sydney Pickrem was third in 2:08.70. American Melanie Margalis of St. Petersburg was fourth in 2:08.91.

Among past or current local swimmers results: 100-meter backstroke, 16. Dylan Carter, Trinidad& Tobago 54.03; 100-meter breaststroke, 11. Alia Atkinson, Jamaica 1:07.11; 200-meter freestyle, 53. Jorge Depassier, Chile 1:53.62.

The world championships has brought together a record 2,620 athletes from 194 countries and territories around the world with 76 sets of medals up for grabs in pool swimming, open water swimming, water polo, diving and synchronized swimming.

The meet will be streamed and televised by the Olympic Channel and live timing will be available.

TV Schedule: https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2019/07/17/swimming-world-championships-tv-stream-schedule/

Live Results: http://omegatiming.com

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://www.swim4soflo.com

Bolles Alum Ryan Murphy Wins On Day Two Of Pan Pacs; Murphy, Dressel Make World Team

By Sharon Robb

TOKYO, Japan, August 10, 2018—The comeback of world record holder Ryan Murphy continued on Day Two of the Pan Pacific Championships Friday at the Tatsumi International Swimming Center.

The Bolles alum, after a shaky 2017 season, dominated the 100-meter backstroke to win in 51.94, less than a tenth off his world record. It was a Pan Pacs record and third-fastest swim in history. He was the only swimmer in the field under 52 seconds.

Murphy was coming off sweeping the backstroke events at the Phillips 66 USA Swimming Championships two weeks ago.

Japan’s Ryosuke Irie out-touched Aussie Mitch Larkin for second in 52.78. Larkin finished in 52.88. American Matt Grevers, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, was fourth in 52.99.

The U.S. leads the medal count with 19 (7 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze) followed by Australia with 11 (4 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze). The finals will be televised on NBC Saturday at 4 p.m. and Olympic Channel at 8 p.m.

In other races:

Aussie Cate Campbell won the 100-meter freestyle in a Pan Pacs record 52.03 ahead of American Simone Manuel in 52.66 and Canadian teenager Taylor Ruck in 52.72.

In the men’s 100-meter freestyle Aussie Kyle Chalmers won in 48.00. Another Bolles Sharks Club swimmer and Clay High School graduate, Caeleb Dressel and Aussie Jack Cartwright tied for the silver medal in 48.22, qualifying Dressel for his first world championship spot. Dressel bumped Nathan Adrian out of an individual event. Adrian will still go to worlds as a relay swimmer.

Dressel and Murphy will compete at next year’s FINA World Championships in South Korea. Dressel has two more events, the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley and Murphy competes Sunday in the 200 backstroke.

American Hali Flickinger won the 200-meter butterfly in 2:07.35 and U.S. teammates Katie Drabot was third in 2:08.40. Japan’s Sachi Mochida was second in 2:07.66.

Japan’s Daiya Seto outsprinted Brazilian Leonardo De Deus in the back half to win the 200-meter butterfly, 1:54.34-1:54.89. American Zach Hartung was third in 1:55.05.

Canadian Kylie Masse topped an impressive field to win the 100-meter backstroke in 58.61. Aussie Emily Seebohm was second in 58.72 and American Kathleen Baker was third in 58.83.

Australia won the women’s 800-meter freestyle relay in a Pan Pacs record 7:44.12, beating the Americans and Katie Ledecky in 7:44.37 and Canadians in 7:47.28.

The U.S. team, led by anchor leg Townley Haas, won the 800-meter freestyle relay in 7:04.36. The Aussies were second in 7:04.70 and Japan was third in 7:08.07.

The meet runs through Aug. 14 and features the following federations: Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, People’s Republic of China, Cook Islands, Colombia, Ecuador, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, New Zealand, Oman, Palau, Peru, Philippines, Thailand and the U.S.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://www.swim4soflo.com