The second morning of the 2019 Pan American Games swimming had seven events on Wednesday in Lima, Peru. Guatemala’s Luis Martinez broke the Games record in the 100 fly and also broke his own national record to move up to 10th in the world rankings.
Men’s 100 Fly
Guatemala’s Luis Martinez broke the Pan American Games record on Wednesday morning in the 100 fly with a 51.44 to lower the 52.04 that Giles Smith set in 2015. Martinez has a chance to be the first man from Guatemala to win a medal in swimming at the Pan American Games as the country only has two bronze medals from Gisela Morales in 2003. Martinez moved up to 10th in the world rankings with his swim as he did not swim at the World Championships but he would have been sixth in the final in Korea. He also broke his own national record in the process.
Martinez is ahead of Argentina’s Santiago Grassi (51.92), who was also under the Games record. Grassi won the silver medal in 2015 and he moved up to 25th in the world with his swim. Grassi will be searching for Argentina’s first gold medal in the 100 fly.
USA’s Matthew Josa (52.28) and Tom Shields (53.29) will be looking to win the US’s second straight gold medal in this event. Josa is now the tenth fastest American this year.
Brazil’s Vini Lanza, who also won the NCAA title, is the fourth seed at 53.11.
Paraguay’s Ben Hockin (53.43), Mexico’s Long Gutierrez (54.05) and Colombia’s David Arias (54.16) also qualified for the final.
RESULTS:
- 51.44, Luis Martinez, GUA, GR
- 51.92, Santiago Grass, ARG
- 52.28, Matthew Josa, USA
- 53.11, Vini Lanza, BRA
- 53.29, Tom Shields, USA
- 53.43, Ben Hockin, PAR
- 54.05, Long Gutierrez, MEX
- 54.16, David Arias, COL
World Rankings:
- 49.50, Caeleb Dressel, USA
- 50.83, Andrei Minakov, RUS
- 50.85, Mehdy Metella, FRA
- 50.95, Kristof Milak, HUN
- 51.16, Chad Le Clos, RSA
- 51.34, Andrew Seliskar, USA
- 51.34, Szebasztian Szabo, HUN
- 51.35, Marius Kusch, GER
- 51.43, Naoki Mizunuma, JPN
- 51.44, Luis Martinez, GUA
Women’s 200 Free
USA’s Meghan Raab used a strong back half to lead the 200 free heats on Wednesday morning at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Raab was one of two swimmers to break 2:00 in the heats as she swam a 1:58.42 to get lane four for the final. USA’s Claire Rasmus was also under 2:00 with a 1:59.35 for the second seed.
Raab is now 51st in the world for 2019 and is now the 12th fastest American. The Americans have won 14 of the 17 gold medals in the 200 free, including the last four so Raab has history on her side.
Canada’s Alyson Ackman is seeded third with a 2:00.18 ahead of Brazil’s Manuella Lyrio, who came in as the top seed. Lyrio is seeded fourth at 2:00.42.
Cuba’s Elisbet Gamez Matos (2:00.95), Brazil’s Larissa Oliveira (2:01.08), Canada’s Katerine Savard (2:01.32) and Mexico’s Allyson Macias Alba (2:04.45) also qualified for the A-Final.
RESULTS:
- 1:58.42, Meghan Raab, USA
- 1:59.35, Claire Rasmus, USA
- 2:00.18, Alyson Ackman, CAN
- 2:00.42, Manuella Lyrio, BRA
- 2:00.95, Elisbet Gamez Matos, CUB
- 2:01.08, Larissa Oliveira, BRA
- 2:01.32, Katerine Savard, CAN
- 2:04.45, Allyson Macias Alba, MEX
Men’s 200 Free
Mexico’s Jorge Iga, who swims at the University of Arizona, is the top seed in the 200 free on Wednesday morning at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Iga was a 1:47.16 to be the only swimmer to break 1:48 in the heats as he is ahead of USA’s Drew Kibler. Iga was slightly off his season best of 1:47.14 which puts him 31st in the world for 2019. He did not swim at the World Championships so he has put all of his eggs into this basket in Lima. Iga will be a senior at Arizona this fall.
Kibler’s 1:48.02 was slower than his best time of 1:47.16 that he had earlier this year. He is already the fifth fastest American this year but he will have himself a race with Iga tonight to get the gold medal. The United States has not won this event at the Pan American Games since 2007 while Mexico has never had a medalist in the event. Mexico has actually not won a gold medal in swimming since 1955 and has not had a medalist on the men’s side since 2007 so this could be a huge victory for Iga if he touches first after four lengths of the pool.
Brazil’s Breno Correia (1:48.21) is seeded third as he has the quickest season best of any of the eight swimmers with a 1:46 in April. Correia will be looking to win Brazil’s second straight gold medal in this event. Trinidad and Tobago’s Dylan Carter is seeded fourth with a 1:49.08 as his country only has two gold medals in swimming at the Pan American Games.
USA’s Grant House (1:49.40) is seeded fifth as he is coming off a relay only showing at the World University Games. Aruba’s Mikel Schreuders (1:49.48) as Aruba has never won a medal in swimming at the Pan American Games.
Brazil’s Fernando Scheffer (1:49.86) and Venezuela’s Rafael Davila (1:50.39) also qualified for the final.
RESULTS:
- 1:47.16, Jorge Iga, MEX
- 1:48.02, Drew Kibler, USA
- 1:48.21, Breno Correia, BRA
- 1:49.08, Dylan Carter, TTO
- 1:49.40, Grant House, USA
- 1:49.48, Mikel Schreuders, ARU
- 1:49.86, Fernando Scheffer, BRA
- 1:50.39, Rafael Davila, VEN
Women’s 100 Fly
USA’s Kendyl Stewart swam the fastest 100 fly time on Wednesday morning at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima with a 58.82. Stewart was slower than her season best of 57.51 from April but she will have a chance to continue the United States’ domination in this event at the Pan American Games. The Americans have won 15 straight gold medals in this event out of the 16 total times it has been contested. If someone is to break the streak, it could be Canada’s Danielle Hanus (58.94).
Hanus ranks outside the top 50 in the world this year but was not far off of Stewart’s heat time. Hanus will be the second seed as Sarah Gibson (59.16) and Haley Black (59.30) are seeded third and fourth. Gibson has also been quicker this year with her 58.4 from May.
Brazil’s Daynara de Paula (1:00.21) and Giovanna Tomanik (1:00.32) also pose challenges as de Paula won the silver medal in 2011.
Colombia’s Valentina Becerra (1:00.64) and Venezuela’s Jeserik Pinto (1:00.87) also qualified for the final.
RESULTS:
- 58.82, Kendyl Stewart, USA
- 58.94, Danielle Hanus, CAN
- 59.16, Sarah Gibson, USA
- 59.30, Haley Black, CAN
- 1:00.21, Daynara de Paula, BRA
- 1:00.32, Giovanna Tomanik, BRA
- 1:00.64, Valentina Becerra, COL
- 1:00.87, Jeserik Pinto, VEN
Women’s 200 Back
USA’s Isabelle Stadden was the lone swimmer to break 2:10 in the 200 back on Wednesday morning at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Stadden swam a 2:09.15 as she was off her season best of 2:08.67 from June. Stadden is within striking distance of the Games record of 2:08.22 that was set in 2015 by Canada’s Hilary Caldwell. The United States had won 10 straight gold medals in this event at the Pan American Games before Caldwell broke that streak in Toronto four years ago. Stadden and Alex Walsh will be looking to start up a new streak. Walsh was a 2:10.06 in the heats, just off her 2:10.03 season best.
Canada’s Mackenzie Glover (2:11.60) is seeded third as she ranks just outside the top 50 in the world. Brazil’s Fernanda de Goeij (2:12.63), Argentina’s Andrea Berrino (2:13.68), Canada’s Madison Broad (2:14.25), Dominican Republic’s Krystal Lara (2:15.60) and Argentina’s Florencia Perotti (2:16.67) also qualified for the A-Final.
RESULTS:
- 2:09.15, Isabelle Stadden, USA
- 2:10.06, Alex Walsh, USA
- 2:11.60, Mackenzie Glover, CAN
- 2:12.63, Fernanda de Goeij, BRA
- 2:13.68, Andrea Berrino, ARG
- 2:14.25, Madison Broad, CAN
- 2:15.60, Krystal Lara, DOM
- 2:16.67, Florencia Perotti, ARG
Men’s 200 Back
USA’s Daniel Carr was one of two swimmers to break 2:00 in the 200 back heats on Wednesday morning at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima. Carr swam a 1:58.55, which was not far off his season best of 1:58.46 from January. Carr is within striking distance of the Games record of 1:57.11 from Sean Lehane set four years ago in Toronto. Carr is seeded ahead of USA’s Nick Alexander (1:59.81), who was also faster this year. The Americans will be looking to create a streak in this event after Brazil won four titles 1999-2011. Lehane’s gold medal in 2015 was the first in the 200 back since Brad Bridgewater won in 1995.
Puerto Rico’s Yeziel Morales (2:00.29) put up the third fastest time in the heats as Puerto Rico has not won a medal in swimming at the Pan American Games since 2007. Puerto Rico has also never won a gold medal in swimming.
Canada’s Javier Acevedo, who swims at the University of Georgia, is seeded fourth at 2:01.19 while Leonardo de Deus, who won the 200 fly last night and the bronze in this event in 2015, is fifth at 2:01.51 in a tie with Brazil’s Brandonn Almeida. Colombia’s Anthony Rincon (2:02.11) and Aruba’s Patrick Groters (2:02.32) also qualified for the A-Final.
RESULTS:
- 1:58.55, Daniel Carr, USA
- 1:59.81, Nick Alexander, USA
- 2:00.29, Yeziel Morales, PUR
- 2:01.19, Javier Acevedo, CAN
- 2:01.51, Leonardo De Deus, BRA
- 2:01.51, Brandonn Almeida, BRA
- 2:02.11, Anthony Rincon, COL
- 2:02.32, Patrick Groters, ARU
Mixed 4×100 Free Relay
Brazil qualified first for the mixed 4×100 free relay final with Joao de Lucca (49.33), Pedro Spajari (48.84), Loranne Versiani (57.18) and Camila de Mello (56.97). The Americans qualified second with Andrew Abruzzo (51.70), Charlie Swanson (50.85), Madison Kennedy (55.72) and Ali DeLoof (55.25).
RESULTS:
- 3:32.32, Brazil, de Lucca, Spajari, Ferreira, de Mello
- 3:33.52, United States, Abruzzo, Swanson, Kennedy, DeLoof
- 3:36.27, Canada, Acevedo, Dergousoff, Leibel, Zevnik
- 3:37.68, Mexico, Ramirez, Revilak, Conde, Martinez
- 3:39.57, Argentina, Rodriguez, Buscaglia, Ceballos, Berrino
- 3:39.76, Peru, Arispe, Cattaneo, Espinosa, Debever
- 3:41.86, Bahamas, Fitzgerald, Greene, Weech, Higgs
- 3:43.63, Venezuela, Khazne, Arteta, Pesce, Palomo
