The fourth evening of swimming at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games on Tuesday (11 August) saw swimmers from seven different countries win gold.
Katarina Roxon (1:22.18) gave Canada the first gold of the day, winning in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8. The USA’s Anna Johannes (1:29.30) took the silver, whilst Brazil’s Gabriela Cantagallo (1:38.96) claimed the bronze.
“I could hear the crowd cheering the last 25m. I just wanted to get to the wall quicker and do it for Canada,” Roxon said.
The host nation performed a clean sweep of the podium in the men’s 400m freestyle S10. Benoit Huot (4:10.04) claimed the gold ahead of teammates Isaac Bouckley (4:18.75) and Alexander Elliot (4:27.61).
“I arrived this morning and did a 300m race which is 75 per cent of the course and so I was warmed up and in the zone,” explained Huot.
Aurelie Rivard (4:33.40) won Canada’s third gold medal of the evening in the women’s 400m freestyle S10 with an Americas record time. Mexico’s Rubi Cristino (4:41.54) and the USA’s Serafina King (4:58.78) touched in for silver and bronze respectively.
Belkys Mota (30.60) won Venezuela’s first swimming gold medal in the women’s 50m freestyle S12, just a finger-tip ahead of Argentina’s Anabel Moro (30.65), whilst Brazil’s Raquel Viel (31.46) secured bronze.
“It has been a really difficult path these past two months. Winning here has been my goal from the beginning and I am happy that I reached it,” said Mota.
The USA’s Reilly Boyt is now a two-time Parapan American champion.
The 19-year-old (1:45.69) was dominant in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB6. Teammate Sophia Elizabeth Herzog (1:48.00) led Mexican Naomi Somellera (1:53.21) onto the podium.
Boyt (3:23.00) then touched in ahead of Herzog (3:23.31) and Mexico’s Vianney Trejo (3:24.28) in the women’s 200m IM SM6.
“With Sophia, we just wanted to get US on the podium and just do our best. I think we achieved that,” said Boyt.
Boyt’s teammate Mallory Weggemann (3:02.14) won the title in the women’s 200m individual medley SM8. Canada’s Tess Routliffe (3:07.23) and Camille Berube (3:07.36) finished in second and third place, respectively.
The first Mexican one-two came in the women’s 50m breaststroke SB3, where Patricia Valle (1:04.79) controlled the whole race, finishing ahead of Nelly Miranda (1:05.41) and Brazil’s Rildene Fonseca (1:07.96).
The second one came in the men’s 200m individual medley SM8. Armando Andrade (2:33.77) took the gold ahead of Angel Buitian (2:42.10) and Canada’s Zach Zona (2:44.76).
Mexico’s Gustavo Sanchez (55.37) took the title in the men’s 50m breaststroke SB3 (SB1-3). Canada’s Jonathan Dieleman (55.68) and Brazil’s Ronystony Cordeiro (58.92) sealed silver and bronze respectively.
Colombia’s Diego Cuesta (26.99) stepped onto the top of the podium in the men’s 50m freestyle S12. Brazil’s Filipe De Abreu (27.56) was second and Darvin Baez (27.71) third, winning Puerto Rico’s first medal at Toronto 2015.
Facundo Lazo (1:18.85) won Argentina’s seventh swimming gold medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB8. Mexico’s Armando Andrade (1:22.01) picked up the silver ahead of Brazil’s Carlos Lopes Maciel (1:22.26).
Brazil’s Matheus Rheine (27.32) claimed the gold in the men’s 50m freestyle S11. His teammate Alex Palhares (28.91) and Colombia’s Brayan Urbano (28.91) both recorded the same time and shared the silver medal.
Rheine’s teammate Talisson Glock (2:40.93) stormed to victory in the men’s 200m individual medley SM6 with an Americas record time. Colombia’s Nelson Crispin (2:41.86) sealed silver, whilst Brazil’s Roberto Alcalde (3:08.82) collected bronze.
Colombia collected its second gold medal of the evening in the men’s 200m individual medley SM7, with Carlos Serrano (2:42.45) claiming his second gold medal at Toronto 2015. Canada’s Jean-Michel Lavalliere (2:49.12) and USA’s Lucas McCrory (2:57.77) completed the podium.
Swimming continues at Toronto 2015 on Wednesday.
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