The fourth morning session of the 2019 Pan American Games swimming featured just four events with the 50 free and 400 IM on the schedule. USA’s Charlie Swanson is the top seed in the 400 IM as he is looking to end the Brazilians’ streak in this event of three straight Pan American golds. Michael Chadwick is leading the 50 free heats as he is looking to continue the US streak in that event that was started in 2015.
Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey is looking to be the first Canadian to win the 400 IM at Pan Ams since 1999 and Madison Kennedy is looking to win her first individual gold at Pan Ams in her third Games.
Women’s 50 Free
USA’s Madison Kennedy posted the top time in the 50 free on Friday morning at the 2019 Pan American Games swimming pool in Lima, Peru. Kennedy swam a 25.46 to lead the qualifiers into the final as she finished fifth in this event in 2015 and won the bronze in 2011. This is Kennedy’s third Pan American Games and presumably her best chance at a gold medal.
She is seeded ahead of Brazil’s Lorrane Versiani (25.50) as Brazil is looking for its first gold medal in this event at the Pan American Games. The United States has not won since 2011 and Kennedy and Margo Geer (25.51) have a chance to win tonight. Geer is coming off a showing at the World Championships where she swam in the heats of the 4×100 free relay that won the silver medal. Geer’s best is a 24.72 from May 2018.
Brazil’s Etiene Medeiros should also factor into the medals as she will be looking to upgrade her silver from 2015. Medeiros was a 25.53 this morning for the fourth seed.
If any of the previous four names slips, Bolivia’s Karen Torrez (25.72) could get in for a medal. Bolivia has never won a medal at the Pan American Games in swimming. Canada’s Kyla Leibel (25.77), Alyson Ackman (25.78) and Venezuela’s Isabella Arcila (25.83) also qualified for the A-Final.
RESULTS:
- 25.46, Madison Kennedy, USA
- 25.50, Lorrane Versiani, BRA
- 25.51, Margo Geer, USA
- 25.53, Etiene Medeiros, BRA
- 25.72, Karen Torrez, BOL
- 25.77, Kyla Leibel, CAN
- 25.78, Alyson Ackman, CAN
- 25.83, Isabella Arcila, VEN
Men’s 50 Free
USA’s Michael Chadwick was the only swimmer to break 22 seconds in the 50 free on Friday morning at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru with a 21.95. Chadwick lowered his season best by 0.01 as he moved up to 19th in the world rankings. Chadwick is looking to win the gold medal in the 50 free for the American for the second straight Games after Josh Schneider ended Brazil’s streak that dated back to 1995.
The Brazilians will be looking to get that streak started up again with Bruno Fratus sitting as the second seed with a 22.02 this morning. Fratus won the silver in both the 2011 and 2015 Games so he will be looking for his first gold medal at 30 years of age. Fratus is coming off a successful World Championships where he won the silver medal in the 50 free.
USA’s Nathan Adrian is seeded third with a 22.12, which is a season best for him that puts him 35th in the world for 2019. Adrian has had a challenging year with a fight with cancer earlier in the year but he ultimately pushed through and helped the United States win the 4×100 free relay at the World Championships.
Brazil’s Pedro Spajari (22.17) and Suriname’s Renzo Tjon-a-Joe (22.24) should also factor into the medals. Suriname has not won a medal at Pan American Games since 1999.
Mexico’s Gabriel Castano (22.36), Venezuela’s Alberto Mestre (22.52) and Argentina’s Santiago Grassi (22.70) also qualified for the A-Final.
RESULTS:
- 21.95, Michael Chadwick, USA
- 22.02, Bruno Fratus, BRA
- 22.12, Nathan Adrian, USA
- 22.17, Pedro Spajari, BRA
- 22.24, Renzo Tjon-a-Joe, SUR
- 22.36, Gabriel Castano, MEX
- 22.52, Alberto Mestre, VEN
- 22.70, Santiago Grassi, ARG
Women’s 400 IM
Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey cruised to the top seed in the 400 IM on Friday morning at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima with a 4:42.70. It wasn’t a particularly fast prelims session with Canada’s Tess Cieplucha (4:45.61) coming in second and USA’s Mariah Denigan (4:48.99) posting the third fastest time. It should be a much quicker final heat tonight.
Harvey and Cieplucha will be looking to win Canada’s first gold medal in this event since 1999 when Joanne Malar won her second 400 IM title. The Americans have since won three straight gold medals in this event but Denigan and Allie Szekely (4:57.14) will have a lot of work to do to get by Harvey.
Szekely actually had the fastest first 200 meters but fell back badly on the breast and free, barely squeaking into the final in eighth place. She might have more up her sleeve since she trains in the legendary Stanford IM group that includes Ella Eastin and Brooke Forde. Szekely’s best time is a 4:40 from 2017.
Argentina’s Virginia Bardach, who won the 200 fly earlier in the meet, is seeded fourth at 4:50.09. Brazil’s Fernanda de Goeij (4:50.84), Argentina’s Florencia Perotti (4:52.39) and Mexico’s Monika Gonzalez (4:53.42) also advanced to the A-Final.
RESULTS:
- 4:42.70, Mary-Sophie Harvey, CAN
- 4:45.61, Tess Cieplucha, CAN
- 4:48.99, Mariah Denigan, USA
- 4:50.09, Virginia Bardach, ARG
- 4:50.84, Fernanda De Goeij, BRA
- 4:52.39, Florencia Perotti, ARG
- 4:53.42, Monika Gonzalez, MEX
- 4:57.14, Allie Szekely, USA
Men’s 400 IM
USA’s Charlie Swanson had an easy 4:16.66 in the 400 IM on Friday morning at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima. Swanson swam a new season best as he moved himself up to 33rd in the world for 2019 and the Michigan senior should be quicker tonight. He might not be able to catch the Games record of 4:11.14 by Thiago Pereira but he could become the first American to win this event since Robert Margalis in 2003.
Swanson is about seven seconds ahead of defending champion Brandonn Almeida (4:23.24) from Brazil, who finished 11th at World Championships with a 4:15. Almeida swam one year at the University of South Carolina but left the school last year. He should be a gold medal favorite and could extend Brazil’s gold medal streak to four consecutive Games.
Puerto Rico’s Jarod Arroyo (4:23.70) and Ecuador’s Tom Peribonio (4:23.77) are seeded third and fourth and are looking primed for a medal. Puerto Rico has not won a medal in men’s swimming at the Pan American Games since 1991 and Ecuador has not won anything in the pool since 1975.
Brazil’s Leonardo Coelho (4:24.51), Mexico’s Hector Ruvalcaba (4:25.11), Guatemala’s Erick Gordillo (4:26.64) and Colombia’s Santiago Corredor (4:27.66) also qualified for the A-Final.
RESULTS:
- 4:16.66, Charlie Swanson, USA
- 4:23.24, Brandonn Almeida, BRA
- 4:23.70, Jarod Arroyo, PUR
- 4:23.77, Tom Peribonio, ECU
- 4:24.51, Leonardo Coelho, BRA
- 4:25.11, Hector Ruvalcaba, MEX
- 4:26.64, Erick Gordillo, GUA
- 4:27.66, Santiago Corredor, COL
