Mark Spitz Challenges Caeleb Dressel to Balance Cup in Butterfly (Video)

Mark Spitz Challenges Caeleb Dressel to Balance Cup in Butterfly (Video)

Olympic great Mark Spitz is certainy having some fun with balancing a glass of water on his head. A few days after he responded to Katie Ledecky’s ability to swim 50 meters of freestyle without spilling a glass of chocolate milk, Spitz pulled off the feat in his pool – albeit over a shorter distance. Now, the 11-time Olympic medalist has thrown down a challenge to Caeleb Dressel, expected to be the star of next summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Spitz was back in his pool on Wednesday, again balancing a glass of water on his head. This time, though, the superstar covered the length of his pool in butterfly and still did not allow the glass to fall from his head. Now 70, Spitz is not only doing a nice job showing his balancing skills, he’s also having a good time with these challenges and connecting to fans from multiple generations through social media.

In a Twitter post to Dressel, Spitz asked to see the younger man’s butterfly, an obviously fun challenge to have Dressel attempt the balancing act in butterfly. While Spitz set multiple world records in the 100 butterfly during his career, which was highlighted by seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Dressel claimed the 100 fly global standard at last year’s World Championships in Gwangju. Dressel holds the current world record in the 100 fly at 49.50, posted during the semifinal round at the World Champs.

Ledecky and Dressel, of course, were supposed to be in Tokyo this summer to race at the 2020 Olympic Games. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Games were postponed until 2021. Spitz gathered his 11 career Olympic medals between the 1968 Games in Mexico City and 1972, where his seven gold medals all arrived in world-record time.

@katieledecky laid down the first challenge. Hey @caelebdressel I know you should be breaking records at the Tokyo #Olympics but let’s see your butterfly! pic.twitter.com/dLBRneRQSp

— Mark Spitz (@markspitzusa) August 13, 2020

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