Heart-wrenching story behind Olympic swimmer’s bandana revealed

There is a heartwrenching reason for why champion US swimmer Caeleb Dressel carries a blue bandana everywhere he goes.

There is a special reason Caeleb Dressel takes a bandana everywhere with him. Picture: Getty Images

Eagle-eyed viewers of the men’s relay on day three of the Tokyo Olympics may have spotted something unusual in the hand of one of the winning swimmers.

US athlete Caeleb Dressel, who along with his teammates took out gold in the 4 x 100m relay on Monday, clutched a patterned blue bandana as he posed for photos on the podium.

The 24-year-old, who was the first of his team to swim, has carried the memento everywhere since 2017.

It belonged to his former high school teacher Claire McCool, and was gifted to him by her husband when she died of breast cancer in 2017.

The pair shared a close bond throughout his senior years of schooling, with Dressel attributing much of his success to Ms McCool and the inspirational role she played in his life.

Caeleb Dressel clutches his bandana as he celebrates victory with teammates Blake Pieroni, Bowen Becker and Zach Apple. Picture: Xavier Laine/Getty Images

He previously revealed the bandana was his most prized possession.

“There’s no worldly possession that means more to me than that bandana,” he said.

Ms McCool was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, the year before Dressel claimed gold in the men’s 100m relay event.

Before Ms McCool died, Dressel wrote her name on his face for a championship event in a public display of his support of her.

At the time, Ms McCool expressed that the unexpected gesture had given her “something to live for”, according to news site WUFT.

“I had never felt that level of support and just to know that you mean that much to another human, another person, especially someone that’s not in your family,” she told the publication.

Caeleb Dressel’s banana is wrapped around his hand as he poses for photos with his gold medal. Picture: Getty Images

“I keep going back to the word humbled. I’m just so humbled by it all and so appreciative that I’ve got him in my corner.”

In a later comment, Dressel recalled what it was like to watch as she passed away.

“I saw her on her deathbed. She was still the strongest woman I’ve ever seen,” he said.

“She’s with me every race, and will be until the end of my career.”

On Monday, Dressel had the bandana wrapped around his fist as he stood on the winner’s platform, clenching his gold medal.