2019 PAN AMERICAN GAMES
- Villa Deportiva Nacional – Videna, Lima, Peru
- Tuesday, August 6th – Saturday, August 10th (pool swimming)
- Prelims 11 AM / Finals 8:30 PM (local time/US Central Time)
- Official Website
- Entry List
- Live Results
Will Licon followed up Annie Lazor‘s Pan Am Record in the women’s 200 breast with one of his own in the men’s event, producing a time of 2:07.62 to annihilate the previous record of 2:09.82 and earn himself a new personal best.
The old mark belonged to Brazilian Thiago Simon from the 2015 Games in Toronto, and Licon’s previous best was the 2:08.14 he went at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
His splits compared to that swim three years ago were near-identical through the 150, with the biggest difference coming on the last length where he was four-tenths quicker.
| Licon, 2016 Olympic Trials | Licon, 2019 Pan Am Games |
| 29.24 | 29.14 |
| 1:01.45 (32.21) | 1:01.43 (32.29) |
| 1:34.35 (32.90) | 1;34.23 (32.80) |
| 2:08.14 (33.79) | 2:07.62 (33.39) |
This performance moves him into seventh in the world this year, and also bumps him up from fifth to fourth all-time amongst Americans. He is now the 19th fastest swimmer in history.
Runner-up Nic Fink also set a new personal best time in 2:08.16, moving him up one spot to seventh all-time in the United States.
ALL-TIME U.S. PERFORMERS, MEN’S 200 BREAST
- Josh Prenot, 2:07.17 – 2016 Olympic Trials
- Kevin Cordes, 2:07.41 – 2017 World Trials
- Eric Shanteau, 2:07.42 – 2009 World Championships
- Will Licon, 2:07.62 – 2019 Pan Am Games
- Andrew Wilson, 2:07.77 – 2019 FINA World Cup – Tokyo
- Nic Fink, 2:08.16 – 2019 Pan Am Games
Licon is competing in Lima just days after receiving a warning from USADA on August 1st. The punishment was given after he declared the use of an inhaler called Breo Ellipta, which contains the prohibited substance vilanterol trifenatate, without a proper Therapeutic Use Exemption. He never tested positive for the substance.
Whilst 2.07.62 is an outstanding time the elite in 200 Breaststroke have taken it to a new level and to get on the podium presently you need to hit at least 2.06.7/8.
I like his odds of hitting 2:06 next summer.
I’d just like to point out that in the current era, everybody is doping. Everybody is taking something that could eventually become prohibited and banned by the higher authorities. I bet 98% of athletes take some sort of supplement in attempts to aid their performances.
#LICONFOR2020
then you have just admitted that your idol is a drug cheat
He didn’t test positive though? My bad, I guess reading is hard for some people.
Doping isn’t even the biggest case of cheating in breasstroke. Taking ILLEGAL DOLPHIN KICKS is.
True. HELLO CODY MILLER!
Yes-he discontinued his use of inhaler once he realized it contained the illegal substance(s?) in it. The only question is why he had to discontinue if he has asthma? It needs to be treated with an inhaler. It should have – oops- this is not approved, I got her a TUE and continue to use it to treat my asthma.”
Oops. A typo – I should get a TUE.
I would assume they put him on a different inhaler…
Systematic doping is different than declaring you might have accidentally taken a banned substance and then NOT testing positive. That is all.
I love how these ten-year-olds rooting against Licon call him a drug cheat without bothering to acknowledge that the reason he got in trouble with USADA was because he declared his inhaler without testing positive, and subsequently turned himself in.
The fact that we have that kind of honesty in this sport, amongst the likes of actual systematic dopers, is amazing,
So it’s ok to use illegal drugs during training as long as you admit it and have it clear your system before a test?!? If Licon was Russian or Chinese this site would want his head for being allowed to compete. But because he went to Texas he gets a free pass?
It was an inhaler that was used as asthma medication. When he realized there was an illegal substance in it, he declared it and (like Ehm said before) DIDN’T test positive. People like Licon are helping the system of catching intentional drug cheats more than hurting it.
EHM you have to understand them. your statement indeed reeks white privilege. Ingesting something prohibited is bad, and forever will be. No to Cheats. Shame on Licon
You guys don’t seem to understand how the system works. You HAVE to declare everything you intend to put in your body to USADA regardless of how trivial it may seem so that you catch things like this before you use them. The fact that Licon didn’t test positive means he didn’t even have the drug in his system and likely didn’t even use it. The system worked in a situation where a doctor is giving his best advice for medication but is not familiar with all the nuances of the USADA system. Relax a little and let the kid live.
Preach
Oh course you had to make this about race….
His nationality and color don’t matter; it was a prescription inhaler that his doctor prescribed to him that he stopped using after he found out that it was banned. Plain and simple. Move on with your hate somewhere else dude.
Also he’s half Hispanic so try that race card with someone else… or better yet, don’t.
that’s what they all say. #doper
That must be one hell of an inhaler
It does seem odd that he used an illegal substance during this training cycle and he goes a lifetime best. Does anyone know if the drug is definitely performance enhancing and for how long did he take it. I count 4 instances of cheating in the last month by American breastokers. King, miller, Whitley(finish not called) and Licon, does any other country come close to this?