The open water competition in the 2019 Pan American Games began with the 10K race from Peru.
Ecuador shined with two top-five finishes, including the gold medal.
Ecuador’s Esteban Enderica claimed victory in the men’s 10K. He finished in 1:53.46.7 to hold off the field by more than 13 seconds.
Argentina’s Guillermo Vitto Bertola finished second in 1:54 flat, 13.3 seconds behind the winner.
USA’s Taylor Abbott claimed the bronze medal with a swim of 1:54.02.7, 16 seconds behind the winner.
Fourth place went to Brazil’s Victor Ribeiro Colonese (1:54.03.6), followed by Ecuador’s David Farinango (1:54.05.8).
The rest of the top 10 included, Argentina’s Franco Cassini (1:54.06.2), Canada’s Jon McKay (1:54.19.5), Venezuela’s Diego Vera (1:54.366), Mexico’s Arturo Perez (1:55.31.7) and Canada’s Raben Severin Dommann (1:55.33.1), giving Canada two top-10 finishes.
USA’s Theodore Smith finished 11th in 1:57.27.6 and Mexico’s Fernando Betanzos (2:01.50.4) followed.
In the Pan American Games women’s 10K, Brazil earned two top-three finishes to lead the field, including the gold medal. Argentina also had two top-five finishes.
Brazil’s Ana De Jesus Soares won in 2:00.51.9 to dominate the race by 31 seconds.
Argentina’s Cecilia Biagioli took the silver medal in 2:01.23.2 to finish ahead of Brazil’s Viviane Eichelberger (2:01.24).
USA’s Kathryn Campbell finished fifth in 2:01.57.5.
Canada’s Kate Sanderson finished sixth in 2:02.52.2, followed by Peru’s Maria Bramont Arias (2:02.56.9), Mexico’s Martha Sandoval (2:03.44.4), Canada’s Chantel Jeffrey (2:04.45) and USA’s Becca Mann (2:04.47).
Get the full results here.
More Pan American Games coverage here.
More open water news here.
American Abbott takes bronze.