The 2019 Pan American Games entered its first night of competition in Peru, as athletes from the Americas convened for an intracontinental showdown. Positioned at the end of a climactic summer, the Games had much work to do in the immediate aftermath of the World Championships. In true form, however, the athletes delivered, kicking off the event in a way that sent shockwaves throughout the swimming community.
Having not won a gold medal in women’s swimming since 2003, Argentina sought to reverse the script. Despite winning the first race of the night, the country was far from finished. Butterfly weapon Virginia Bardach forced her name on the scene to tally the country’s second gold medal of the night, as she earned top honors with a 2:10.87 in her premier meet of the summer. Shaving nearly a second off her time from prelims, Bardach put herself within striking distance of breaking the top 50 in the world this year.
Mary-Sophie Harvey of Canada was her closest competitor, as she represented North America with a 2:11.68 of her own, gaining a healthy advantage over the U.S.’s Meghan Small (2:12.51). Diana Luna of Mexico missed the podium by half a second, but defended her place in the top four with a 2:13.02, punting the States’ Sarah Gibson (2:13.08) to fifth.
Maria Mata Cocco touched in close behind, dropping a 2:13.12 to take down Danielle Hanus (2:13.95) and Isabella Paez (2:15.53) for sixth.
