2019 Pan American Games Finals Day 2: U.S. Dominates Day 2, Brings Home Ten Golds

Olympic Trials-finals-9apr2016. Photo Scott Grant

Photo Courtesy: Scott Grant/Swimming Canada

After a climactic first night, the 2019 Pan American Games only elevated its level of competition, entering its second day of competition with excess momentum. Staged in Lima, Peru, the multi-sport competition is the largest athletic event ever hosted by the country, attracting nearly 9,500 athletes and officials in addition to spectators. With swimming being one of the most popular of the 39 sports, the atmosphere is nothing short of electric. Far from an aftershock of the World Championships, the Pan Am Games boast some of the top names in the sport, as the Americas prepare to take their talents overseas in the coming year.

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Women’s 200 Free

The United States upheld its monopoly of the women’s 200 free, as Claire Rasmus and Meaghan Raab engaged in a dramatic sprint to the finish, passing Canada’s Katerine Savard on the third lap. The two came within striking distance of the Pan Am record (1:56.23) set by Allison Schmitt, the reigning national champion in this event as of last week. Despite seizing two spots on the podium for the States, the women faced a challenge in Brazil’s Larissa Martins de Oliveira (1:59.78), whose front-end speed seemed to create a nearly impossible deficit for the Americans. Patricia Ackman of Canada was the last woman under 2:00, turning in a 1:59.92 to edge out Cuba’s Elisbet Gamez Matos (2:00.25) for fourth.

Known for their strength in this event, Brazil landed another in the top eight with Manuella Lyrio’s 2:00.44, which proved good enough to take down Canada’s Katerine Savard (2:01.18), known for her blazing front-half speed. Mexico’s Allyson Alba rounded out the heat with a notable time of her own, clocking in at 2:03.41 to send the meet to its next event.

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Men’s 200 Free

It was a different story on the men’s side, as Brazil flipped the script to go 1-2 with the help of Fernando Scheffer (1:46.68) and Breno Correia (1:47.47). After a disappointing showing in prelims, Scheffer hopped six spots in finals to cinch the victory, overcoming his seventh place seed to create the heat’s outside smoke.

The States’ Drew Kibler defended his honor as America’s fifth fastest 200 freestyler this year, barely eclipsing his season-best time of 1:47.16 with a notable 1:47.71 for third. Dylan Carter chased him, missing the podium by less than a tenth with a 1:47.78, boxing Mexico’s Jorge Iga out of the top four. Iga’s performance was the night’s first heartbreak, as the top seed slipped in the rankings to squelch Mexico’s hopes of bringing home their first gold medal since 1955.

Grant House of the United States crashed the pads with a 1:48.58 for sixth, managing to get his hand on the wall ahead of Aruba’s Mikkel Schreuders (1:49.92) and Venezuela’s Rafael Zambrano (1:50.12).

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Women’s 100 Fly

U.S. butterfly stalwart Kendyl Stewart forced her name on the scene with a massive swim, as she sprinted to a 58.49 to seize the States’ 16th straight gold medal in the 100 fly. Followed closely by North American compatriot Danielle Hanus (58.93), Stewart was forced to bring it home in the last 50 after splitting an identical first lap to her morning swim. Sarah Gibson did her part to bring home another pair of medals for the States, as she cinched the bronze with a time of 59.11.

Brazil’s Giovanna Diamante (59.31) edged out Canada’s Haley Black (59.32) by the smallest margin in the sport, managing to get her hand on the wall 0.01 faster than her closest competitor. Her teammate, Daynara de Paula, sandwiched the Canadian at fifth with a time of 1:00.41, enough to take down Venezuela’s Jeserik Pinto (1:00.64). Valentina Becerra put Colombia on the board for Day Two with her impressive 1:01.10 to round out the heat.

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Men’s 100 Fly

Thomas Shields (51.59) contributed to the U.S. dominance of night two with a come-from-behind win in the men’s 100 fly. It didn’t come easily, as Guatemala’s Luis Martinez sought to reset the Pan Am record he dropped in prelims, sprinting to a 51.63 finish to come just shy. The Auburn University alum tallied Guatemala’s first ever medal in men’s swimming to make for a historic swim, punting Brazil’s Vinicius Lanza (51.88) to third in the process.

Argentina’s Santiago Grassi narrowly missed the podium, as he turned in a 52.15 to beat Matthew Josa (52.22) of the United States. Mexico continued to make its presence known in the championship finals with an impressive performance from Long Gutierrez (53.67), who has quickly become one of the country’s marquee athletes in international competition. Paraguay made its first appearance in an A-final with the help of Benjamin Hockin, whose 53.70 earned him seventh over Colombia’s David Aria (54.05).

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Women’s 200 Back

Alex Walsh manhandled the competition in the women’s 100 back to earn top honors for the States, clocking in at 2:06.30 to slash the previous Pan American record of 2:08.22 set by Hilary Caldwell. One of America’s most consistent performers, Walsh is no stranger to the limelight despite her young age. Winning Junior Nationals just four years ago (a meet where Regan Smith placed seventh), Walsh has evaded the dreaded plateau to continue contributing to America’s repertoire in international competition.

Her compatriot, Isabelle Stadden, locked down the silver for the U.S., crashing the pads with a 2:08.39 while gaining a healthy advantage over Canada’s Mackenzie Glover (2:10.96). Fernanda De Goeij of Brazil chased the bronze, ultimately falling just short with a time of 2:11.95. Andres Berrino rounded out the top five with an impressive 2:12.71 of her own, proceeded by Madison Broad (2:12.82) of Canada and Florencia Perotti (2:16.75) of Argentina. Krystal Garzon of the Dominican put her country on the radar with a 2:17.09 to end the event.

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Men’s 200 Back

In true form, the U.S. went for another 1-2 sweep in the men’s 200 back, as Daniel Carr and Nicholas Alexander left the rest of the field to go 1:58.13 and 1:58.30, respectively. Swimming nearly identical races through the first lap, the men went on to defend America’s honor as the reigning Pan Am champ, topping off the night’s individual schedule with a grand finale. Brazil’s Leonardo de Dues (1:58.73) was the only competitor that posed a threat, as he put forth a dangerous middle 100 to set him up for immense closing speed. Javier Acevedo of Canada was a distant fourth, clocking in at 1:59.70 to mark the last man under 2:00.

From there, it was a race to break the top five, headed by Yeziel Morales of Puerto Rico. The face of swimming for the small country, Morales was intent on tallying points for the island, as he crashed the pads with a 2:00.27 to better Brandonn Almeida’s (2:01.51) by over a second. Anthony Ricon of Colombia and Patrick Groters of Aruba topped off the men’s schedule with times of 2:02.46 and 2:03.65, respectively.

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Mixed 400 Free Relay

The recent addition of mixed relays to the FINA event program has proved enormously beneficial to USA Swimming, as the States’ lethal quartets show no signs of slowing. In addition to promoting strategy and bridging the gap between men’s and women’s swimming, the change is altogether historical, as swimming is currently the only sport in which men and women compete together in such a way.

Once again, this worked to the U.S. advantage, as Michael Chadwick, Nathan Adrian, Clair Rasmus, and Margo Geer combined forces to bring home America’s final gold of the evening with a time of 3:24.84. The deadly combo proved unstoppable even against a talented Brazilian team comprised of sprinting stalwarts Breno Correia, Marcelo Chierighini, Larissa Martins de Oliveira, and Etiene Pieres Medeiros (3:25.97).

Mexico made its way on the medal stand for one of the first times this meet, boasting a time of 3:31.36 courtesy of Joseph Carranza ,Jorge Cesar, Monika Hermosilo, and Maria Cocco.

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