I don’t wanna be the new Phelps, says American Dressel

AFP, Tokyo :
American Caeleb Dressel is making swimming sexy again and has been described as the “Usain Bolt of the pool” – just don’t call him the new Michael Phelps.
The 21-year-old, who last year became only the second swimmer to win seven gold medals at a single world championships after Phelps in 2007, admits to being flattered by comparisons to his countryman but insists he is his own man.
“What an honour, if people want to make that comparison,” Dressel told AFP at the Pan Pacific championships in Tokyo.
“It doesn’t bother me, but it’s not something I’m striving to be or something that’s crossing my mind day in and day out.”
Dressel joined forces with Phelps in the latter’s final Olympics in Rio two years ago to win gold in the 4×100 metres freestyle relay.
Phelps retired after Rio as the most decorated athlete in Olympic history with 28 medals, a staggering 23 of them gold.
But despite being billed as the next big thing in swimming, Dressel was anxious to play down the hype two years before the 2020 Tokyo Games, where celebrity beckons for the tattooed Florida native.