2023 Pan American Games: Day 1 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)

The 2023 Pan American Games kick off this morning in Santiago, Chile. This morning’s action features prelims of eight events.

DAY 1 PRELIMS EVENT SCHEDULE

Session begins at 7:00am local time/8:00am Eastern Standard Time

• Women’s 400 free – prelims
• Men’s 400 free – prelims
• Women’s 100 breast – prelims
• Men’s 100 breast – prelims
• Women’s 200 fly – prelims
• Men’s 200 fly – prelims
• Women’s 4×100 free relay – prelims
• Men’s 4×100 free relay – prelims

This morning will see Brazilian Guilherme Costa‘s first test of the meet. Costa enters the meet as the top seed in the men’s 400 free, 800 free, and 1500 free. He gets the 400 up first, coming into this morning’s action as the top seed by over 3 seconds.

Meanwhile, American Dakota Luther comes in as the heavy favorite in the women’s 200 fly. Luther is entered at 2:06.79, coming in as the only swimmer in the field under 2:08.

The American duo of Noah Nichols and Jake Foster are the only swimmers in the men’s 100 breast seeded under 1:00.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:55.38 – Ariarne Titmus, Australia (2023)
• Pan American Games Record: 4:08.42 – Emily Overholt, Canada (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Maria Costa (Brazil) – 4:13.85
2. Gabrielle Roncatto (Brazil) – 4:14.37
3. Paige Madden (United States) – 4:14.42
4. Rachel Stege (United States) – 4:14.60
5. Agostina Hein (Argentina) – 4:15.39
6. Julie Brousseau (Canada) – 4:15.54
7. Delfina Dini (Argentina) – 4:16.26
8. Maria Heitmann (Brazil) – 4:16.61

Kicking things off this morning, Brazil’s Maria Costa led the field in the women’s 400 free prelims. Costa was swimming in the last heat this morning, where she was locked in a tight race with Americans Paige Madden and Rachel Stege until the final 100m. All 3 swimmers were within 0.13 seconds of each other at the 300m turn, however, Costa then pulled away on the last 100m, and ended up getting her hand on the wall more than half a second ahead of both Americans.

Brazil also had the 2nd fastest swimmer of the morning, seeing Gabrielle Roncatto clock a 4:14.37 to win the 2nd heat.

Of note, Argentina’s Agostina Hein, just 15 years old, made it through to tonight’s final. She came in 2nd in the 2nd heat, swimming a 4:15.39, which was good for 5th overall this morning.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:40.07 – Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009)
• Pan American Games Record: 3:48.29 – Ryan Cochrane, Canada (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Guilherme Costa (Brazil) – 3:52.23
2. Jay Litherland (United States) – 3:55.00
3. Stephan Steverink (Brazil) – 3:55.21
4. Alfonso Mestre (Venezuela) – 3:55.67
5. Dylan Porges (Mexico) – 3:55.84
6. James Plage (United States) – 3:55.90
7. Eduardo Cisternas (Chile) – 3:56.31
8. Juan Morales (Colombia) – 3:56.34

Brazil’s Guilherme Costa showed that he’s the class of the field this morning in the 400 free prelims, swimming a 3:52.23 for the top seed for tonight’s final. Costa was the only swimmer this morning to go under 3:55, giving himself a nice cushion heading into finals. He got out with some solid speed this morning, splitting 1:52.55 on the first 200m. He then pulled back a bit and ended up coming home in 1:59.68 on the back half of the race.

American Jay Litherland was the next-fastest swimmer this morning, clocking a 3:55.00 for 2nd overall. Brazil’s Stephan Steverink was out ahead of Litherland, but Litherland tracked him down on the final 100m.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King, United States (2017)
• Pan American Games Record: 1:05.64 – Katie Meili, United States (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Rachel Nicol (Canada) – 1:08.10
2. Macarena Ceballos (Argentina) – 1:08.12
3. Sophie Angus (Canada) – 1:08.19
4. Stefania Gomez (Colombia) – 1:08.47
5. Emma Weber (United States) – 1:09.00
6. Byanca Rodriguez (Mexico) – 1:09.32
7. Jhennifer Conceicao (Brazil) – 1:09.75
8. Martina Barbeito (Argentina) – 1:10.29

Canada looked strong in the women’s 100 breast this morning, seeing Rachel Nicol clock the top time with a 1:08.10.  Nicol won heat 3 this morning, touching out Argentina’s Macarena Ceballos (1:08.12). Ceballos was out ahead of Nicol, splitting 32.57 on the first 50 to Nicol’s 32.87. Nicol then came home faster and was able to get her hands on the wall first.

Canadian Sophie Angus was 3rd-fastest this morning, swimming a 1:08.19 to win the first heat.

Only one of the Americans made it through to the final. Emma Weber came in 5th this morning, posting a 1:09.00 in heat 2. Meanwhile, the other American in the event, Anna Keating, swam a 1:11.42 in heat 3, missing out on the final by quite a bit.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• Pan American Games Record: 59.21 – Felipe Franca Da Silva, Brazil (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Jake Foster (United States) – 1:00.85
2. Joao Gomes (Brazil) – 1:00.89
3. Noah Nichols (United States) – 1:01.10
4. Gabriel Mastromatteo (Canada) – 1:01.37
5. Raphael Windmuller (Brazil) – 1:01.43
6. Jorge Murillo (Colombia) – 1:01.46
7. Xavier Ruiz (Puerto Rico) – 1:01.67
8. Miguel De Lara (Mexico) – 1:01.75

American Jake Foster looked great this morning, swimming a 1:00.85 for the top time overall. Operating in the 3rd heat this morning, Foster got out to a 28.59 on the first 50m, then came home in 32.26.

Joao Gomes had a very similar race in heat 2, swimming a 1:00.89 for the 2nd-fastest time overall.

Meanwhile, heat 4 was not the fastest heat. American Noah Nichols won in 1:01.10, leading a tight field at the top. Gabriel Mastromatteo, Miguel De Lara, and Mariano Lazzerini all clocked 1:01s in that heat as well. Of note, Lazzerini swam a 1:01.90, which put him 9th overall, just out of the final tonight.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:01.81 – Liu Zige, China (2009)
• Pan American Games Record: 2:07.64 – Kathleen Hersey, United States (2007)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Kelly Pash (United States) – 2:10.68
2. Dakota Luther (United States) – 2:10.78
3. Maria Mata (Mexico) – 2:11.32
4. Katie Forrester (Canada) – 2:14.09
5. Karen Durango (Colombia) – 2:14.39
6. Laura Arroyo (Mexico) – 2:14.82
7. Yanin Ortiz (Costa Rica) – 2:15.50
8. Yasmin Silva (Peru) – 2:15.51

The American duo of Kelly Pash and Dakota Luther led the way this morning in the women’s 200 fly. The Texas teammates were the only two swimmers in the field to go 2:10 this morning. Though their final times were nearly identical, they swam the race quite differently. Pash took the race out faster, splitting 1:01.81 on the first 100m, then held on through the back half. Meanwhile, Luther was out much slower, splitting 1:03.30 on the first 100m, then held her pace from the 2nd 50 through the final pair of 50s.

Maria Mata had a great performance this morning, taking 3rd overall with a 2:11.32. Pash, Luther, and Mata were the only swimmers in the event this morning to swim under 2:14.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:50.34 – Kristof Milak, Hungary (2022)
• Pan American Games Record: 1:55.01 – Leonardo De Deus, Brazil (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Mason Laur (United States) – 1:57.58
2. Jack Dahlgren (United States) – 1:58.51
3. Leonardo De Deus (Brazil) – 1:59.09
4. Hector Ruvalcaba (Mexico) – 1:59.44
5. Kevin Zhang (Canada) – 2:00.22
6. Luiz Melo (Brazil) – 2:00.51
7. Joaquin Gonzalez (Argentina) – 2:00.53
8. Erick Gordillo (Independant) – 2:00.60

American Mason Laur looked excellent this morning in the men’s 200 fly. He led the field with a 1:57.58, clocking the top time of the morning by nearly a full second. It was fellow American Jack Dahlgren who posted the 2nd-fastest time overall with a 1:58.51. Laur was out pretty fast, splitting 55.90 on the first 100m.

Brazil’s Leonardo de Deus was the next-fastest swimmer this morning, swimming a 1:59.09. The only other swimmer in the field to dip under 2:00 this morning was Mexico’s Hector Ruvalcaba, who swam a 1:59.44.

WOMEN’S 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:27.96 – Australia (2023)
• Pan American Games Record: 3:36.80 – Canada (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Brazil – 3:42.74
2. United States – 3:42.87
3. Canada – 3:43.08
4. Cuba – 3:46.63
5. Colombia – 3:48.63
6. Argentina – 3:49.02
7. Mexico – 3:49.69
8. Venezuela – 3:50.28

In prelims of the women’s 4×100 free relay, Brazil led the way with a 3:42.74. Stephanie Balduccini led the team off in 55.61, then Ana Vieira split 54.63 on the 2nd leg, Celine Bispo was 55.90 on the 3rd leg, and Lorrane Ferreira anchored in 56.60 to make it happen.

The Brazilian squad just touched out the Americans in their heat. The U.S. saw Reilly Tiltmann (56.12), Camille Spink (55.49), Kayla Wilson (55.30), and Olivia Bray (55.96) combine for a 3:42.87.

Rounding out the top medal contenders for tonight’s final, Canada came in 3rd this morning with a 3:43.08. Unfortunately, there was an error with Canada’s splits, so we can’t give you those. We do know, however, that Katerine Savard led off in 55.70.

MEN’S 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:08.24 – United States (2008)
• Pan American Games Record: 3:13.66 – Canada (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Brazil – 3:16.15
2. United States – 3:16.57
3. Canada – 3:20.33
4. Mexico – 3:22.07
5. Colombia – 3:23.45
6. Argentina – 3:23.64
7. Venezuela – 3:25.19
8. Peru – 3:33.90

There were only 9 teams that competed in the men’s 4×100 free relay this morning, so only one, Bahamas, didn’t make it through to the ‘A’ final. Bahamas finished 9th this morning with a 3:37.18.

Meanwhile, Brazil and the U.S. had a nice race in heat 2, seeing Brazil come out on top in 3:16.15, just ahead of the U.S. (3:16.57). They were the only teams to go under 3:20 this morning. For Brazil, Victor Alcara (49.79), Gui Caribe (49.01), Felipe de Souza (49.05), and Breno Correia (48.30) teamed up to earn the top seed for tonight.

The U.S. team saw Coby Carrozza (49.80), Jack Aikins (48.95), Luke Miller (48.98), and Adam Chaney (48.84) combine for the #2 time.