Junior Pan Pacs: United States and Japan Win Three Gold Medals on Opening Day

GUAM, January 8. RISING star Dagny Knutson led an American charge on the first day of the Junior Pan Pacific championships, held in the U.S. territory of Guam. Japan and the United States each lead with three gold medals in the four-day meet.

Women's 200 free
Knutson started the meet with a blazing fast 1:57.73 in the 200 free, erasing the meet record of 2:00.08 and taking down the 30-year-old 15-16 national age group record held by Cynthia Woodhead. Woodhead's record was 1:58.23 and was once the American record in the event. Australia's Ellen Fullerton grabbed the silver in 1:59.32, while Knutson's teammate Andrea Taylor took the bronze in 2:00.46.

Men's 200 free
Hassaan Abdel-Khalik of Canada won the men's 200 free by a fingernail length with a 1:49.55. Australia's Tommaso D'Orsogna took silver in 1:49.57. Fellow Aussie Ryan Napoleon set a meet record in the prelims with a 1:48.94, but couldn't hold that pace in the final, swimming a 1:49.65 for the bronze medal. Americans Matthew Barber and Nick D'Innocenzo finished fourth and eighth, respectively.

Women's 100 back
Japan's Shiho Sakai walked away with the gold and a meet record in a time of 1:01.12. Silver medalist Grace Loh of Australia was also under the old mark with a 1:01.36, and Canada's Sinead Russell took the bronze with a 1:02.32. Americans Elizabeth Pelton and Rachel Bootsma finished fourth and sixth, respectively.

Men's 100 back
Olympian Daniel Bell of New Zealand won the 100 back in a 55.11, with the USA's Patrick Murphy taking silver in 55.90. Takahiro Yamazaki took bronze in 56.66. American Austin Surhoff finished seventh.

Women's 200 fly
Camille Adams of the United States led nearly wire-to-wire to take the victory in 2:10.88 over Australia's Amy Smith. American Adrienne Bicek out-touched Japan's Natsuki Akiyama for the bronze with a 2:11.20.

Men's 200 fly
Yuki Koburi of Japan set a meet record in winning the 200 fly in 1:57.66. Australia's Lachlan Staples (1:59.19) and Declan Potts (1:59.92) took silver and bronze. Americans Thomas Luchsinger and Kyle Whitaker finished fourth and fifth.

Women's 800 free
American teammates Haley Anderson and Amber McDermott battled the entire race, with the lead switching between the two multiple times throughout the swim. Anderson got her hand on the wall first in 8:38.54, just missing the meet record of 8:37.98, with McDermott finishing in 8:39.13. Blair Evans of Australia rounded out the podium with a bronze-medal swim of 8:46.28.

Men's 1500 free
Jumpei Higashi of Japan took control of the race after 200 meters to win in 15:24.34, just off the meet record of 15:23.94 set by Australian Olympian Travis Nederpelt. Second place went to Australia's Christopher Ashwood in 15:25.89, and the bronze medal was won by American Ryan Feeley in 15:30.82. American Sean Ryan finished fourth.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use