FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. — One an Olympian you know, the other, you’ll know soon.
Swimmer Caeleb Dressel and sprinter Christian Miller are both from Northeast Florida, and both took steps forward in their Olympic dreams Saturday night, as their communities gathered to support them.
“Clay County is really supportive of the people in our community," said Julie Hill, a friend of the Dressel family. "We figured we’d have a watch party where everyone can cheer Caeleb on anyway.”
Hill teaches at the Olympic Gold medalist’s alma mater, Clay High.
She was one of hundreds who filled Eleven22 Church in Fleming Island with eyes glued to Dressel’s 100m butterfly.
“The most exciting part is after he’s done, I like to look at his face to see how he’s feeling about it," said Hill. "It’s really whether or not he’s happy.”
Dressel was all smiles after his win, as he added another event to his docket in Paris.
“To be considered one of the fastest swimmers in the world is just amazing, and we’re just really proud of who he is," said Dressel's Former P.E. Teacher Jared Moses.
With seven golds under his belt, three in Paris would bring Dressel's total to double digits.
Dressel would join Michael Phelps as the only athletes to ever accomplish the feat.
"That's what we're hoping for," said Moses.
Meanwhile, Creekside High School Graduate Christian Miller is hoping to get his first taste of Olympic action, just a month after high school graduation.
Family and friends gathered at Island Wing Company in Durbin to watch him run the 100m dash.
“That’s my boy Christian, he’s going to do big things," said Miller's friend Jonathan Charley. "Big things, yessir.”
In just 10 seconds, the crowd experienced a roller coaster of emotions, as Miller was toward the back out of the pack out of the blocks.
However, he powered through, finishing fifth in his heat, enough to qualify for the semifinals.
“Just watching him for those seconds is the most amazing feeling for me," said Jasmine Robinson, a member of Miller's coaching staff.
Next up for Miller is semifinals Sunday. If he makes it through that, he'll be in the finals about two hours later, where he’ll hope to book his Paris ticket.
Dressel, meanwhile, is Paris bound already.
His parents already have their bags packed as well, and friends at the watch party were raising money to send his three siblings along with them to support him.