Brazilian swimmers continued their medal surge at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games pool with five golds on Thursday (14 August), the sixth evening of swimming.
Andre Brasil (1:00.56) won Brazil’s first gold of the evening in a thrilling men’s 100m backstroke S10, ahead of Canada’s multi-Paralympic champion Benoit Huot (1:01.62) and Alexander Elliot (1:02.37).
“The events yesterday were very tiring for me, more than I expected. I was hoping for a slightly better result today. I would have won the world championship with this time, but I wanted to reach the 59 (second) mark again,” said Brasil, who has now won four golds.
Multi-word and Paralympic champion Daniel Dias (35.97) sealed Brazil’s second gold medal in the men’s 50m backstroke S5, well ahead of Mexico’s Diego Lopez (42.02), who led teammate Gerardo Castro (46.63) onto the podium. Dias has won six gold medals with a clean sweep in all his events.
Brazil’s Carlos Farrenberg (55.00) claimed his second Parapan Am gold medal in the men’s 100m freestyle S13, whilst Canada’s Nicolas Turbide (57.30) and Farrenberg’s teammate Guilherme Batista (58.26) finished second and third, respectively.
Matheus Rheine (59.85) continued a great evening for Brazil, winning the gold in the men’s 100m freestyle S11, beating Colombia’s Brayan Urbano (1:04.73) and his teammate Alex Palhares (1:07.11).
Brazil (3:58.53) also took the gold in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay 34pts, whilst Canada (4:07.66) claimed the silver and Argentina (4:23.04) collected the bronze.
Colombia also had a day to remember winning three gold medals.
Nelson Crispin (31.15) won the first in the men’s 50m butterfly S6 with an Americas record time. Brazil’s Talisson Glock (33.10) and Canada’s Adam Purdy (33.80) finished second and third, respectively.
Crispin’s teammate Carlos Serrano (31.75) was the fastest in the men’s 50m butterfly S7, lowering the Americas record by 0.90 seconds. Canada’s Jean-Michel Lavalliere (34.13) and Nathan Clement (34.21) completed the podium.
“We have been working really hard for this. One of our goals is to go to Rio with everything we have. This gold medal means a lot to me because this is my final race and I locked it down,” said Serrano.
Diego Cuesta (59.65) claimed Colombia’s 13th swimming gold medal in the men’s 100m freestyle S12. Brazil’s Filipe De Abreu (59.91) secured silver and teammate Renato Nunes (1:03.13) was third.
Mexico’s Armando Andrade (1:01.54) touched in just a finger-tip ahead of Canada’s Zack McCallister (1:01.61) and Brazil’s Caio Amorim Muniz (1:02.32) in the men’s 100m freestyle S8, winning his third gold medal at Toronto 2015.
“I knew I had to give my all and it worked. I thank all Mexicans, I’m very happy to take this gold medal to my country,” said Andrade.
Andrade’s compatriot Gustavo Sanchez made it onto the top of the podium in the men’s 150m medley SM4 (SM1-4). His teammate Juan Reyes (3:00.62) grabbed silver and Brazil’s Ronystony Cordeiro (3:03.63) bronze.
Argentina’s Anabel Moro (1:06.87) won the title in the women’s 100m freestyle S12 (S11-12), claiming her second gold medal at Toronto 2015. Venezuela’s Belkys Mota (1:07.19) and Brazil’s Raquel Viel (1:09.28) completed the top three.
The 2015 Parapan Am hosts took two gold medals on day six.
Aurelie Rivard (1:09.72) registered a new Games record in the women’s 100m backstroke S10, winning her fifth gold medal at Toronto 2015, ahead of Brazil’s Mariana Gesteira (1:14.24) and Mexico’s Mitzi Mijares (1:15.13).
Rivard’s teammate Sarah Mehain (37.07) was the fastest in the women’s 50m butterfly S7 (S6-7). The USA’s Nelya Stary Schasfoort (38.13) and Brazil’s Veronica Almeida (38.64) touched in for silver and bronze, respectively.
Mallory Weggemann (1:10.02) sealed the USA’s first gold medal of the evening in the women’s 100m freestyle S8. Canada’s Morgan Bird (1:10.53) was second and Brazil’s Cecilia Jeronimo (1:11.80) third.
“It was an incredible race. It’s one of my best times since the London 2012 (Paralympic) Games,” Weggemann assured.
Weggemann’s compatriot Haley Beranbaum (56.36) won the title in the women’s 50m backstroke S5. Brazil’s Esthefany De Oliveira (1:00.58) and Leticia Lucas (1:01.03) secured silver and bronze, respectively.
Swimming continues at Toronto 2015 on Friday.
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