Jack Aikins and Kennedy Noble set Pan American records in the 200-meter backstroke on Sunday to lead another outstanding performance by the United States swimming at the Pan American Games in Santiago.
Maggie MacNeil, the Canadian star of the butterfly stroke, added the Pan American title to her Olympic crown in the 100 meters.
It was an American recital at the National Stadium Park Aquatic Center, where its swimmers took home four gold medals for the second consecutive day at the continental event.
Noble won her gold medal by stopping the clocks in 2:08.03 and surpassed the mark set by Canadian Hilary Caldwell at the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games by 19 hundredths of the Brazilian Alexia Tavares.
In the same distance for men, Aikins won gold by clocking 1:56.58 and breaking the mark held by his compatriot Sean Lehane, who clocked 57 hundred in Toronto. American Ian Grum and Canadian Hugh McNeill with silver and bronze, respectively.
Of the four gold medals won this Sunday, the United States has collected eight of that color in the Santiago 2023 swimming medal table. They surpassed Canada with four golds and Brazil with three.
The other gold medal won by the Americans that day was the men’s 200-meter freestyle, where Coby Carroza won with a time of 1:37.47. The silver was won by the Mexican Jorge Iga with a time of 1:47.56, and the bronze was won by the Brazilian Murilo Setin.
Another American who topped the podium was Lukas Miller, who won gold in the men’s 100-meter butterfly with a time of 51.98. His compatriot Arsenio Bustos won the bronze, and the silver went to Brazilian Vinicius Lanza.
Neil added the Pan American gold to the Olympic title in the 100 butterfly. Mac Neil saved his energy for the final and set a Games record with a time of 56.94. American Kelly Pash took silver, and her compatriot Olivia Bray won bronze.
It was Mac Neil’s second gold of the weekend after being the spark plug in the third pole for the Canadians, who emerged victorious in the 4x100m relay.
Mac Neil won three medals at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago: gold in the butterfly as well as silver and bronze in the relay.
Canada also topped the podium when Mary-Sophie Harvey ran a time of 1:58.08 to win the 200-meter freestyle. Brazilian MarÃa Da Silva took silver. The bronze went to American Camille Spink.
The only gold medal that did not remain in the hands of the United States or Canada was the mixed 4×100 relay, where Brazil won with a time of 3:23.78. The Americans won silver, and the Canadians won bronze.
