Team USA Adds Eight Medals on Day Four of Pan American Games
SANTIAGO, Chile – Swimming rolled into its penultimate day at the 2023 Pan American Games, where Team USA won eight more medals (4g, 3s, 1b). The Americans have now earned 40 total medals (17g, 14s, 9b) after four days of competition at Centro Acuático del Estadio Nacional.
More than 350 athletes from 41 federations are competing over the five days of pool competition – the most athletes competing in a sport at the Pan American Games.
Women’s 50m Freestyle
1 – Gabi Albiero (Louisville, Ky./Cardinal Aquatics), 24.84
3 – Catie DeLoof (Grosse Pointe, Mich./New York Athletic Club), 24.88
Albiero on her performance: “I’m so excited. This is my first big, international meet. I was super nervous but mostly excited so to have veterans like Catie DeLoof inspire me and taking me under her wing means so much to me. I’m really proud to get the gold for Team USA.”
DeLoof on her performance: “I think it’s a good step in the right direction, was a little slower than this morning but I’m happy with the outcome.”
Race Notes:
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Albiero tied with Maggie MacNeil of Canada for the gold medal.
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Albiero picks up her first individual international gold and her third medal at these Pan American Games.
Men’s 50m Freestyle
1 – David Curtiss (Yardley, Pa./Wolfpack Elite), 21.85
2 – Jonny Kulow (Lander, Wy./Sun Devil Swimming), 21.90
Curtiss on his performance: “It was a solid swim. Just glad I got to share the podium with a fellow teammate and put on a good showing for America…honestly, better than I expected and it’s always an honor to represent America on the international stage.”
Kulow on his race: “Got to get better and faster because at the end of the day, that’s what matters the most. There’s a lot of stuff to improve on, specifically within the back end of my race. I’m kind of in a weird spot in my season training so being able to go 21.8 is about where I’m currently at, and being unrested and untapered, it’s a good step forward and I’m going to use that to motivate myself going on to Trials.”
Race Notes:
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Curtiss claimed the first international gold medal of his career.
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Kulow picks up his fifth medal at the Pan American Games.
Women’s 400m Individual Medley
2 – Lucy Bell (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins Area Swim Team), 4:44.27
Bell on her performance: “It was one of my best times and right in October, that’s pretty good so I’m happy with that…I’m getting over my fear of the 400 IM and I was relaxed before so that was great.”
Race Notes:
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Bell’s silver-medal time is a new personal best.
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Bell’s silver marks the first international medal of her career.
Men’s 400m Individual Medley
1– Jay Litherland (Alpharetta, Ga./Sun Devil Swimming), 4:15.44
4 – Ian Grum (Atlanta, Ga./Dynamo Swim Club), 4:18.78
Litherland on his performance: “Anytime I have the opportunity to medal wearing the USA cap, I’ll always honor and have a lot of pride in representing the U.S. it’s awesome…thought I was going to be way faster, so I guess I got to get back in and start training a little more.”
Race Notes:
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Litherland’s win marks the second international gold medal of his career.
Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay
1 – USA, 7:55.26
Camille Spink (Haymarket, Va./Nation’s Capital Swim Club), 1:59.38
Kayla Wilson (Virginia Beach, Va./Tide Swimming), 1:58.76
Kelly Pash (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club/University of Texas), 1:58.62
Paige Madden (Mobile, Ala./New York Athletic Club), 1:58.70
Pash on what this medal means: “It means a lot, especially swimming with these three ladies right here. They really, really picked me up at the beginning of that relay and I just couldn’t have done it without them. Obviously winning gold is awesome, and I think this is going to take me really far, especially with these girls.”
Race Notes:
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Amy Fulmer, Rachel Stege and Olivia Bray will also receive gold medals for their prelim swims.
Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay
2 – USA, 7:08.06
Zane Grothe (Boulder City, Nev./Boulder City Henderson Swim), 1:47.98
Coby Carrozza (Austin, Texas/University of Texas), 1:47.63
Brooks Curry (Atlanta, Ga./Dynamo Swim Club), 1:46.78
Jack Dahlgren (Victoria, Minn./University of Missouri), 1:45.67
Grothe on the team’s performance: “It’s my first Pan American Games medal and it means a lot. I’m very happy with what was done. We went under the record so you can’t really ask for more.”
Dahlgren on being on a U.S. relay at his first international meet: “I got a little bit of preview with the prelims of the mixed 4x100 free so that was nice, but when the pressure is on and you’re the anchor on the big 4x200 at night, that’s a whole different beast. I was just so excited to be there, to watch that whole race unfold, and have a foot race at the end, that’s why I do it. To have those races like that, neck and neck. Just really happy with how our boys fought and we stuck in there the whole time.”
Race Notes:
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James Plage, Mason Laur, Luke Miller and Christopher O’Connor will also receive silver medals for their prelim swims.
The pool competition concludes tomorrow. For more information, please visit the swimming page on the Pan American Games website. The open water competition will take place Sunday. For information on the open water competition, please visit the open water page on the Pan American Games website. Learn more about Team USA’s overall performance at the Pan American Games by visiting the Team USA website.
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