SANYA, China – Seven-time world champion Caeleb Dressel (Green Cove Springs, Fla./Bolles School Sharks/Florida) was honored Saturday as FINA’s Best Male Swimmer of 2017 at the FINA World Aquatics Gala. Full details are available at FINA.org.

At last summer’s FINA World Championships in Budapest, Dressel joined Michael Phelps as the only swimmers to win seven titles at a single FINA World Championships. He won individual gold in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly to become the first American male since Ryan Lochte in 2011 to claim at least three individual titles at the same world championships. He set American records in the 50m free, 100m free and 50m fly in Budapest. On June 29, Dressel became the first swimmer in history to win three world titles in a single day on with gold in the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly and mixed 4x100m freestyle relay. He also won gold in the 4x100m medley relay, 4x100m freestyle relay and mixed 4x100m medley relay in Budapest.

American men have won the FINA honor six of the eight times it has been awarded since 2010 with Phelps winning in 2012 and 2016 and Ryan Lochte claiming the award in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

In 2017, Dressel has also been named USA Swimming Athlete of the Year and earned Golden Goggle Awards for Male Athlete of the Year and Male Race of the Year.