Toronto 2015 Pan American Games: Day Two Finals Live Recap

TORONTO 2015 PAN AMERICAN GAMES

For full coverage of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games including photos, live recaps, record posts, and more, visit our Toronto 2015 Pan American Games event channel here.

• July 14-18
• Toronto, Ont.
• Prelims 10 a.m EST
• Finals 7 p.m EST
• Schedule
• Swimming Home Page
• Toronto 2015 Home Page 
• Live results 
• Overall Medal Count 
• Live stream via ESPN 3 – USA
• Live stream via CBC – Canada 
• @swimswamnews – snapchat, instagram, twitter
• @Swimswamlive, @MitchBowmile – twitter

To see all scratches for day two finals, click here.

Day two finals of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games have the potential for plenty of excitement and a whole lot of upsets.

One event that it seems highly unlikely that there will be an upset is the women’s 200m freestyle. Allison Schmitt of the United States dominated the heats with a very smooth 1:58.58. Schmitt is currently ranked 16th in the world this season with the 1:57.24 she swam at the Arena Pro Swim Series at Charlotte.

It looks like a sure thing for Schmitt. There’s also a huge possibility of her downing Cynthia Woodhead’s 36-year-old Pan Am Games meet record en route to gold.

The men’s 200m freestyle is going to be an absolute dog fight. Cristian Quintero, Michael Weiss, Frederico Grabich, Michael Klueh, Jeremy Bagsahaw, and Joao De Lucca were all within 0.36 seconds of each other this morning. They make up the bulk of the final with Nicolas Oliveira and Benjamin Hockin rounding out the top eight.

It’s going to come down to pure racing. This is anyone’s final, whoever wants it most and can bring it tonight is going to get it.

The women’s 200m breaststroke is Canadian Kierra Smith’s race to lose. She’ll be flanked by American Annie Lazor and fellow Canadian Martha McCabe. If McCabe can get the better of Lazor, a 1-2 finish for Canada is in order.

The men’s race is going to be a lot tighter. Jorge Murillo, Thiago Simon, and Richard Funk could all take home the win tonight.

Backstroke could feature what could potentially be another 1-2 finish for Canada tonight. Hilary Caldwell and Dominique Bouchard are both very strong and the clear leaders after prelims this morning.

American Sean Lehane will be looking to claim gold after breaking the Pan American Games record in the 200m backstroke this morning.

A tight relay between the United States and Canada should end off the night.

WOMEN’S 200M FREESTYLE

• World record: 1:52.98 – Frederica Pellegrini (Italy) 2009
• Pan Am Games record: 1:58.43 – Cynthia Woodhead (USA) 1979
• Americas record: 1:53.61 – Allison Schmitt (USA) 2012
• 10th fastest time in the world this season: 1:56.88

Medallists 

1. Allison Schmitt (USA) 1:56.23
2. Emily Overholt (Canada) 1:57.55
3. Manuella Lyrio (Brazil) 1:58.03

Bringing it home fast was Allison Schmitt who grabbed the United States their first gold medal at these Pan American Games in Toronto.

Schmitt was second to the first 50 to Canadian swimmer Katerine Savard, but quickly pushed the pace heading into the 100-wall. By the halfway point, Schmitt was out to a full body length lead and ready to extend it.

Lost in the race at this point was young Canadian Emily Overholt who turned with the back-half of the pack. Turn on the jets for both Overholt and Savard, and with 50 to left they were in the mix.

At this point it was Schmitt’s race through and through, however a charging Overholt made up some decent ground on the last 50 to finish second behind her at the wall.

Schmitt was a 1:56.23 to break Cynthia Woodhead’s 36-year-old Pan American Games record. She also cracked the top 10 world rankings this season.

The time ranks her eighth in the world this season.

Schmitt’s Splits

27.58, 28.82, 29.78, 30.05

Overholt’s Splits

27.41, 29.59, 30.47, 30.08

MEN’S 200M FREESTYLE

• World record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann (Germany) 2009
• Pan Am Games record: 1:47.18 – Brett Fraser (Cayman Islands) 2011
• Americas record: 1:42.96 – Michael Phelps (USA) 2008
• 10th fastest time in the world this season: 1:46.65

Medallists 

1. Joao De Lucca (Brazil)- 1:46.42
2. Frederico Grabich (Argentina) – 1:46.62
3. Michael Weiss (USA) – 1:47.63

Based on the first 50 almost everyone in attendance would have counted out Joao De Lucca in this race. He was swimming in an outside lane and turned in sixth at the halfway point.

Right then and there when it looked like he was out of it completely, De Lucca found a new gear. He churned out a 27.33 and went from sixth to first at the 150. Also putting up a similar strategy at this point in the race was Michael Klueh of the United States. He split a 27.13 on the third 50.

Argentinian freestyler Frederico Grabich was passed by De Lucca with 50 meters to go, but managed to hold on for second as De Lucca charged in for the win. On the last 50, De Lucca was a 26.94.

Grabich touched in for silver in 1:47.62 just holding off a rampaging Michael Weiss. Weiss made up a bit of ground on the last 50, but missed beating Gabrich by one one-hundredth of a second and had to settle for the bronze in 1:47.63.

American Michael Klueh was fourth in 1:47.73.

De Lucca is now ranked ninth in the world this season, Gabrich is ranked 10th.

WOMEN’S 200M BREASTSTROKE

• World record: 2:19.11 – Rikke Moller Pedersen (Denmark) 2013
• Pan Am Games record: 2:25.410 – Kierra Smith (Canada) 2015
• Americas record: 2:19.59 – Rebecca Soni (USA) 2012
• 10th fastest time in the world this season: 2:23.77

Medallists 

1. Kierra Smith (Canada) 2:24.38
2. Martha McCabe (Canada) 2:24.51
3. Annie Lazor (USA) 2:26.23

Kierra Smith and Martha McCabe pulled off a 1-2 finish for Team Canada in the 200m breaststroke final, both dipping under the Pan American Games record that Smith set in prelims.

The two were almost neck and neck the entire race, and when it came down to it, the deciding factor was the last five meters.

Smith trudged to the 100 wall in first splitting a 109.68. Right behind her was McCabe in 1:09.97. American Annie Lazor followed her in 1:10.23.

McCabe kicked things into gear on the third 50, out-splitting her rivals with a 37.01. At the 150 wall, McCabe was in first by a slim margin and the two Canadians came off it together.

Stroke for stroke they extended their lead over the rest of the field, but it was Smith who managed to get out in front and get her hands on the wall for gold. Not long after Smith stopped the clock in 2:24.38, McCabe stretched in for a 2:24.51.

The two waited while Lazor finished in 2:26.23 to take home the bronze medal.

MEN’S 200M BREASTSTROKE

• World record: 1:51.51 – 2:07.01 – Akihiro Yamaguchi (Japan) 2012
• Pan Am Games record: 2:11.62 – Sean Mahoney (USA) 2011/ Jorge Murillo (Colombia) 2015
• Americas record: 2:07.42 – Eric Shanteau (USA) 2009
• 10th fastest time in the world this season: 2:09.10

Medallists 

1. Thiago Simon (Brazil) 2:09.52
2. Richard Funk (Canada) 2:11.51
3. Thiago Pereira (Brazil) 2:11.93

The Brazilian men continued to be undefeated on night two of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games as Thiago Simon won the 200 breaststroke by a huge margin.

Clocking in at 2:09.52, Simon was 1.99 seconds faster than his closest competitor, Canadian and hometown favourite Richard Funk. Brazilian medley star Thiago Pereira ended up third in 2:11.93, just falling short of solidifying a 1-2 finish for Brazil.

It was all about Simon start to finish. He led the field right from the get go, splitting a 29.00 on the first 50. At the 100 he was well ahead of his competitors in 1:01.73. At this point, Funk was the closest to him and he turned 1.66 seconds after.

After the 100 wall it seemed as though Simon got even stronger. Funk was passed by Pereira, and with 50 to go a 50 was all but certain for Simon. The real race at this point was between Funk and Pereira for the silver.

As Simon kept his lead, Funk dropped a huge last 50 slit of 33.94 to beat Pereira who finished third in 2:11.93 to Funk’s 2:11.51.

The winning time for Simon was a new Pan American Games record.

WOMEN’S 200M BACKSTROKE

• World record: 2:04.06 – Missy Franklin (USA) 2012
• Pan Am Games record: 2:08.99 – Elizabeth Pelton (USA) 2011
• Americas record: 2:04.06 – Missy Franklin (USA) 2012
• 10th fastest time in the world this season: 2:09.31

Medallists 

1. Hilary Caldwell (Canada) 2:08.22
2. Dominique Bouchard (Canada) 2:09.74
3. Clara Smiddy (USA) 2:11.47

The Canadians managed the second 1-2 finish of the night with a huge performance in the finals of the women’s 200m backstroke. Hilary Caldwell struck gold with a time of 2:08.22, taking a big chunk off Elizabeth Pelton’s Pan American Games record that she set back in 2011.

Dominique Bouchard was just behind Caldwell the entire race, and ended up finishing second in 2:09.74. In the process the two Canadians finished well ahead of the rest of the field leaving the United States’ Clara Smiddy to win bronze in 2:11.47.

Caldwell made her move at the 75-meter mark, overtaking American Kylie Stewart and turning first in 1:03.09. Bouchard also passed the American, hitting the wall in 1:03.57.

Caldwell extended her lead as she reached the 150-wall with Bouchard almost a full second behind her. Once again, Caldwell increased her speed on the last 50 to take the gold in 2:08.22. Bouchard was a 2:09.74 to take silver. Smiddy managed to hold on to her position in order to touch third.

With that time for Caldwell now ranks sixth in the world.

MEN’S 200M BACKSTROKE

• World record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol (USA) 2009
• Pan Am Games record: 1:57.11 – Sean Lehane (USA) 2015
• Americas record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol (USA) 2009
• 10th fastest time in the world this season: 1:56.89

Medallists 

1. Sean Lehane (USA) 1:57.47
2. Carter Griffin (USA) 1:58.18
3. Leonardo De Deus (Brazil) 1:58.27

For the third time tonight a championship final featured a 1-2 finish, this time it was for two American swimmers: Sean Lehane and Carter Griffin.

Lehane grabbed the first gold for the American men after coming back strong on the last 50. Colombia’s Omar Pinzon was in the lead up until the 150m wall. Lehane came off that wall fast, passed, Pinzon, and started inching out to  half body-length lead.

Pinzon faded big time allowing both Griffin and Brazilian swimmer Leonardo De Deus to pass him. Griffin took the silver in 1:58.18, punching in the 1-2 finish for the Americans, and De Deus won bronze in 1:58.27

Behind them was Pinzon who ended up fourth with a 1:58.77 well behind Lehane.

Lehane was just a few tenths of a second off the meet record of 1:57.11 that he set in prelims.

MEN’S 4X200M FREESTYLE RELAY

• World record: 6:58.55 – USA 2009
• Pan Am Games record: 7:12.27 – Brazil 2007
• Americas record: 6:58.55 – USA 2009

Medallists 

1. Team Brazil 7:11.15
2. Team Canada 7:17.15
3. Team Venezuela 7:21.14

Team Brazil went out for the record right away in the men’s relay and at the touch they beat it by over a full second. The Brazilians were a 7:11.15.

A huge upset occurred when the Americans finished second, but it was later revealed that they were disqualified. At the current time there is no word on what the reasoning for the disqualification was.

The DQ moved Canada up into second and Venezuela up to third.