2023 Pan American Games: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2023 PAN AMERICAN GAMES

• October 21-25, 2023
• Santiago, Chile
• Meet Central
• Entries (Psych Sheet)
• Live Results
• Live Stream
  • Fubo TV (subscription required)
  • PanAm Sports Channel (USA, Canada, Jamaica)
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap

Day 2 of the 2023 Pan American Games will continue from Santiago, Chile, this morning. Today’s slate of events, of which there will be seven is as follows:

• Women’s 200 free – prelims
• Men’s 200 free – prelims
• Women’s 100 fly – prelims
• Men’s 100 fly – prelims
• Women’s 200 back – prelims
• Men’s 200 back – prelims
• Mixed 4×100 free relay – prelims

Swimmers will be looking to place top 16, as the final session contains both an A and B final (each with eight swimmers). The women’s 200 free sees a pair of Olympians atop the entries, with Brazil’s Stephanie Balduccini and Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey the only two entrants seeded under 1:58.  The men’s 200 also sees a Brazilian leading the field, with Fernando Scheffer looking to defend his top seed of 1:45.52.

The women’s 100 fly is certainly not going to be disappointing, with the top 5 all seeded under :58 led by the Olympic Champion Maggie MacNeil. Chasing her will be the American duo and Texas Longhorn teammates of Kelly Pash and Olivia Bray.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:52.85 – Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia (2023)
• Pan American Games Record: 1:56.23– Allison Schmitt, United States (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) – 1:59.31
2. Camille Spink (USA) – 1:59.94
3. Maria Da Costa Silva (BRA) – 2:01.23
4. Stephanie Balduccini (BRA) – 2:01.25
5. Kayla Wilson (USA) – 2:01.34
6. Emma O’Croinin (CAN) – 2:01.65
7. Elisbet Gamez (CUB) – 2:01.90
8. Andrea Becali (CUB) – 2:02.24

The day kicked off with heat 1, which saw Grenada’s Tilly Collymore taking the win over US Virgin Islands swimmer Natalie Kuipers and Paraguay’s Stefania Piccardo in time of 2:10.91.

With only four heats in total, the 2nd heat was the first of the circle-seeded heats and saw the US’s Kayla Wilson duel with Canada’s Emma O’Croinin. Wilson led the Canadian by .25 at the 100, 58.87 vs 59.12 and kept the lead until the finish posting the quickest time so far with a 2:01.34 with O’Croinin touching just behind in 2:01.65.

The third heat saw our first swimmers record times under 2:00. The USA’s Camille Spink took it out fast, flipping at the halfway point in 57.65, over a full second ahead of her closest competition. However, using a strong back-half, Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey managed to close the gap to just .37 at the 150 and would pass Spink in the closing meters to record the fastest time of the so far and first under 2:00 with results of 1:59.31. Spink would also just get under 2:00, finishing .63 behind in a time of 1:59.94.

The fourth and final heat saw a pair of Brazilians duke it. Stephaine Balduccini and Maria Da Silva Costa were dead even at the 100, flipping at 58.69, and were only separated by .01 at the 150. The pair went stroke for stroke and finished just .02 apart with Da Silva Costa taking the win in 2:01.23

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009)
• Pan American Games Record: 1:46.42 – Joao de Lucca, Brazil (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Breno Martins (BRA) – 1:47.59
2. Murilo Setin Sartori (BRA) – 1:47.63
3. Ferndando Scheffer (BRA) – 1:48.03
4. Zane Grothe (USA) – 1:48.17
5. Coby Carrozza (USA) – 1:49.10
6. Alfonso Mestre (VEN) – 1:49.33
7. Jorge Iga (CAN) – 1:49.51
8. Jeremy Bagshaw (CAN) – 1:49.74

Heat 1 saw a pair of familiar names from the NCAA duel it out, with the USA’s Coby Carrozza taking the win over Venezuela’s Alfonso Mestre. Carrozza led at the 100 by .42, but Mestre closed that gap to .23 at the finish. Carrozza’s time of 1:49.10 is the top time, with two heats remaining ahead of Mestre’s 1:49.33 and Canada’s Jeremy Bagshaw’s 1:49.74.

Heat 2 saw much faster times, with the top three finishers all under 1:48.50. Leading them out was the Brazilian pair of Breno Martins (1:47.59) and Murilo Setin Sartori (1:47.63). Nabbing 3rd was the US’s Zane Grothe, who posted a time of 1:48.17.

The third and final heat saw another Brazilian top first. Fernando Scheffer, the defending champion, cruised to the finish by using a strong back half, extending what was a .27 lead at the 100 to a margin of victory of 1.48. Schaffer’s time of 1:48.03 will give the 3rd fastest time this evening. Finishing behind him was Mexico’s Jorge Iga, who posted a time of 1:49.51, and Canada’s Javier Acevedo, who touched in 1:50.28.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY– PRELIMS

• World Record: 55.48 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2016)
• Pan American Games Record: 57.24– Kelsi Worrell, United States (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Kelly Pash (USA) – 58.34
2. Olivia Bray (USA) – 58.84
3. Valentina Vecerra Quintanilla (COL) – 59.70
4. Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 59.73
5. Anicka Delgado (ECU) – 59.79
6. Katerine Savard (CAN) – 59.87
7. Clarissa Maria Rodrigues (BRA) – 1:00.02
8. Giovanna Tomanik (BRA) – 1:00.19

Heat 1 of 4 saw Guyana’s Aleka Persaud post a time of 1:05.75, a drop of over a second from her seed time.

Technical malfunctions caused the 2nd heat to be delayed by a few minutes, with the competitors initially being pulled down from the blocks and then asked to leave the pool deck.

Once they resumed, it was the American and Texan Longhorn swimmer Olivia Bray who took the win in 58.84. Bray touched 2nd at the turn(28.21) behind Anicka Delgado (27.88) but used a strong turn to overtake the Ecuadorian, who also finished sub 1:00 in 59.79.

Taking over the top time with just one heat remaining was Bray’s collegiate teammate Kelly Pash. The bronze medalist in the 200 fly, Pash, was out quickly with a split of 27.49 and finished in 58.34. Also getting under the 1:00 barrier was Columbia’s Valentina Vecerra Quintanilla, who was just 5th at the turn (28.96) but surged home and finished in 59.70.

Like the previous two heats, the top two swimmers posted times under 1:00. Leading the way was the Olympic champion Maggie MacNeil, who finished in 59.73. MacNeil had a sluggish start and was just 3rd at the 50 (29.00), behind Brazil’s Clarissa Maria Rodrigues (28.64) and Celine Bispo (28.74). MacNeil’s strong back half led her past the pair and was accompanied by her compatriot Katerine Savard, who finished in 59.87.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY– PRELIMS

• World Record: 49.45– Caeleb Dressel, United States (2019)
• Pan American Games Record: 51.44– Luis Martinez, Brazil (2019)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Luke Miller (USA) – 51.99
2. Vini Lanza (BRA) – 52.78
3. Jorge Otaiza (VEN) – 53.08
4. Victor Baganha (BRA) – 53.11
5. Arsenio Bustos (USA) – 53.21
6. Finlay Knox (CAN) – 53.33
7. Angel Martinez (MEX) – 53.95
8. David Arias (COL) – 53.97

Heat 1 saw Aruba’s Mikel Schreuders take the win in 55.92, touching ahead of Independent Athlete Christopher Gossman’s 57.02.

The first circle-seeded heat saw the Canadian swimmer, Finlay Knox, take the win by nearly a full second, touching in 53.33. Knox was out first, turning in 25.26, ahead of Mexico’s Jorge Iga (26.02), who just swam the 200 free, and Venezuela’s Emil Perez (25.66). Iga used a strong back half and would pass Perez to finish second in 54.30, while Perez would end up in 3rd with a time of 54.63.

Heat three was a faster affair, with the US’s Arsenio Bustos taking it out fast, with a split of 24.72. Going with him was Venezuela’s Jorge Otaiza, who touched .26 behind. Otaiza closed on Bustos in the last 50 and would pass the American and take the win in 53.08. Bustos, just .13 behind at 53.21, should safely qualify, while Mexico’s Angel Martinez also nibbed under 54, touching in 53.95.

Using a speedy back half, American Luke Miller posted the top time of the morning in the fourth and final heat. Miller, who swims at NC State, was out in 24.87 but closed hard and finished with a time of 51.99, the first swimmer sub 52. The Pan-Am record sits at 51.44 and could be in jeopardy tonight. Also going out fast and taking the 2nd overall seed was Brazil’s Vini Lanza, whose time of 52.78 represents the only other sub-53 time.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE– PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:03.14 – Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2023)
• Pan American Games Record: 2:08.22 – Hillary Caldwell, Canada (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Kennedy Noble (USA) – 2:13.54
2. Alexia Tavares Assuncao (BRA) – 2:13.61
3. Kristen Romano (PUR) – 2:15.05
4. Reilly Tiltmann (USA) – 2:15.49
5. Madelyn Gatrall (CAN) – 2:15.92
6. Mckenna Debever (PER) – 2:16.68
7. Fernanda De Goeij (BRA) – 2:17.49
8. Malena Santillan (ARG) – 2:17.68

Heat 1 had the home crowd on their feet at Chilean Joo Martina Roper took the win in a time of 2:25.52. This heat also had the youngest competitor in the meet, as 14-year-old Lara Gimenez of Paraguay finished in a time of 2:29.78.

Brazil’s Alexia Tavares Assuncao took the win in heat 2, posting 2:13.61, just off her seed time. The Brazilian led from start to finish, opening up over a second lead at the 100. In second for most of the race was Puerto Rico’s Kristen Romano, who touched in 2:15.05. Out fast and just .01 behind Romano at the 50, Canada’s Brooklyn Douthwright faded to finish 5th in a time of 2:18.88.

In a smooth prelim swim, the USA’s Reilly Tiltmann had full control of the race, opening up over a 1.5-second lead at the 100. Tiltmann, who has an entry time of 2:08.65, shut it down on the back half and finished in 2:15.49, doing just enough to win the heat and claim a lane for tonight. Canada’s Madelyn Gatrall was 1.65 behind at the 100 but surged over the last half to finish just .43 behind Tiltman in a time of 2:15.92.

In a similar performance to Tiltman’s, Kennedy Noble did just enough to claim lane 4 tonight. The American, whose personal best is faster than the Pan-Am record, posted a time of 2:13.54, taking the race out in 1:03.27. Peru’s Mckenna Debever and Alexia Sotomayor went 2-3, finishing in times of 2:16.68 and 2:18.32.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE– PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Piersol, United States (2009)
• Pan American Games Record: 1:57.11 –Sean Lehane, United States (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Ian Grum (USA) – 1:59.21
2. Jack Aikins (USA) – 1:59.28
3. Yeziel Morales (PUR) – 2:00.39
4. Raben Dommann (CAN) – 2:00.97
5. Hugh McNeill (CAN) – 2:01.76
6. Leonardo de Deus (BRA) – 2:01.79
7. Omar Pinzon (COL) – 2:01.92
8. Brandonn Almeida (BRA) – 2:02.45

With just three heats in total, all the heats will be circle-seeded. Taking the win from lane 4, the 3rd seed overall, Canada’s Hugh McNeill touched in 2:01.76. McNeill was .33 behind the early leader Leonardo de Deus, last night’s silver medalist in the 200-fly, at the 100 but passed him by the 150. de Deus held on for 2nd touching in 2:01.79, touching ahead of teammate Brandonn Almeida’s 2:02.45.

Heat 2 saw the first sub-2:00 time, with the US’s Ian Grum posting a time of 1:59.21. Grum, who swims collegiately for Georgia, was out fast in 57.17 and was never in danger of losing the lead. Puerto Rico’s Yeziel Morales nabbed 2nd in 2:00.39.

Matching his teammate’s pace almost stroke for stroke in the last heat, Jack Aikins posted the only other sub-200 time, finishing in 1:59.28. Flipping in 57.15 at the 100, the Virginia swimmer will take lane 5 next to Grum this evening as the pair will look to chase the Pan-Am record held by Sean Lehane in 2015.

MIXED 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:18.83 – Australia (2023)
• Pan American Games Record: 3:24.84 – United States (2019)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. USA – 3:28.96
2. Canada – 3:30.05
3. Brazil – 3:32.02
4. Columbia – 3:36.28
5. Venezuela – 3:38.48
6. Argentina – 3:38.60
7. Mexico – 3:39.00
8. Uruguay – 3:40.33

Team USA won the first heat, handily, posting a time of 3:28.96. Jack Dahlgren led off in 49.00 and handed it off to Brooks Curry, who posted a split of 48.30. Taking on the last two legs were Gabi Albiero and Paige Madden, who posted times of 54.88 and 56.78.

Argentina used an unusual order of F/F/M/M, but it seems to have paid off as their anchor, Matias Santiso, chased down Mexico’s Maria Mata Cocco to finish 2nd in the heat in a time of 3:38.60 vs. Mexico’s 3:39.00.

Canada took the 2nd heat in with a time of 3:30.05. The team of Stephen Calkins(49.68), Edouard Fullum-Huot(49.24), Brooklyn Douthwright(55.49), and Katerine Savard (55.64) finished ahead of the team from Brazil, who posted the 2nd fastest time in the heat and 3rd overall at 3:32.02