Canada’s Emily Overholt won a great race in the A final of the 400 free, but overlooked were three new national records in the 400 free B final at the 2015 Pan Am Games.
The most impressive record, in terms of how much it was broken by, came from Cuba’s Elisbet Gamez. She was 4:21.10 in prelims, and dropped down to 4:18.23 in finals. That time in finals is over seventeen seconds ahead of the old record of 4:35.85, set in 2013 at the Barcelona World Championships by Daniela Benavides. Gamez now holds national records in the 50 through 400 freestyle races, while Benavides remains the record holder in the 800 free.
Guatemala’s Gabriela Santis notched a new national record of her own in that B final, placing 2nd in a tight race with Canada’s Tabitha Baumann to finish in 4:16.79. Santis’ swim breaks the record of 4:18.56 that she set herself at the CAC Games in November of 2014. Santis holds national records in the 100, 200, and 400 freestyles.
The third national record of the 400 free B final went to Rebeca Quinteros of El Salvador. Her time of 4:27.89 was just under the old Salvadorian record of 4:28.35.