Brazil’s Henrique Rodrigues upset his better-known countryman Thiago Pereira for gold in the 200 IM at Pan Ams, while also knocking down Pereira’s Pan Ams record.
Pereira is both the Brazilian national record-holder in the event and the most-decorated swimmer in Pan Ams history, but was run down by Rodrigues in the final 50 meters of the 200 IM.
Both men went under the old record, which stood at 1:57.79. Rodrigues was 1:57.06 and Pereira 1:57.42.
A quick look at the splits from the two men tonight:
| Rodrigues 2015 | Pereira 2015 | |
| Fly | 25.41 | 25.02 |
| Back | 29.38 | 29.47 |
| Breast | 33.67 | 33.95 |
| Free | 28.60 | 28.98 |
| Final time: | 1:57.06 | 1:57.42 |
Though Rodrigues outsplit Pereira over the final 150 meters, he actually didn’t lead until the freestyle, because Pereira put up nearly a half-second lead on the butterfly leg. Both men were still about two seconds off of Pereira’s national record of 1:55.55, but that was set during the heyday of rubberized bodysuits, at the 2009 World Championships.
Rodrigues is only 24 years old, but is hardly a newcomer to the Brazilian team. He was a 2012 Olympian for Brazil in the 200 IM, making the semifinal round, and he just missed a medal at last year’s Short Course World Championships with a 4th-place finish.
The duo led a 1-2 punch for Brazil, which is still in the thick of a medal battle with the United States for Pan Ams supremacy in 2015. The Americans could only take bronze, with Gunnar Bentz‘s 2:00.04.