Bal took home two gold medals Sunday, with a win in the men’s 100m back and as part of the winning men’s 400m medley relay team. Bal broke the Pan Am record in 53.66 and earned himself the fourth fastest 100m back time of 2007. Team USA’s Peter Marshall (Atlanta, Ga.) claimed the silver medal in 54.64 and Brazil’s Thiago Pereira won bronze in 54.75. “Lately, I’ve had a different mindset,” Bal said. “Live it up and have fun. I realize how honored I am to represent my country and travel the world.”
In addition to Bal, the men’s relay team featured Mark Gangloff (Akron, Ohio), Ricky Berens (Charlotte, N.C.), and Andy Grant (Livermore, Calif.). After placing second in Friday’s semifinal, Team USA rebounded to break the Pan Am record and win gold in 3:34.37. Brazil finished second in 3:35.81, and Canada claimed the bronze medal in 3:38.16.
On the women’s side, Leverenz won gold in the women’s 200m breast. Leverenz pulled away from the field in the final 100 meters to finish in 2:25.62, breaking the Pan Am record she set in Saturday’s semifinal. Canada’s Annamay Pierse took home the silver in 2:26.79 and Keri Hehn (Laguna Hills, Calif.) won the bronze in 2:28.20. “The race felt really well,” Leverenz said. “I was happy to race one of my best times and I’m glad to have two Americans on the medal stand.”
Crippen, who won a silver medal in the women’s 400m IM, took home her first Pan Am gold with her standout swim in the 200m back. Crippen swam the sixth fastest time of the year, breaking the Pan American record in 2:10.57. Team USA’s Julia Smit (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) claimed the silver in 2:11.18 and Canada’s Liz Wycliffe won the bronze in 2:13.29. With the win, Crippen became the second member of her family to win gold at the 2007 Pan American Games. Her brother, Fran, won the gold medal in the men’s 10k open water event. “It was my best time and I finally got a gold medal,” Crippen said. “But to get a best time is all I can ask for.”
In the men’s 50m free, Olympians Gary Hall, Jr. (Miami Beach, Fla.) and Gabe Woodward (Bakersfield, Calif.) missed the medal stand and finished in fifth and fourth place, respectively. Brazil’s Cesar Cielo Filho topped the field to win the gold and set a Pan Am record in 21.84. Woodward swam a personal best in 22.49, while Hall finished in 22.52. “I don’t see this as a loss. I learned something that I can take away,” Hall said. “It’s great racing against Brazilians and I’m glad I stuck with it. Cesar had a fantastic swim and he is only going to improve. I think in Beijing we can expect to see everyone under 22 seconds. It’s going to be a tough field.”
In the women’s 100m free, Lauren Thies (Portland, Ore.) finished fifth in 56.67. Brazil’s Rebeca Gusmao won the gold in 55.17, Venezuela’s Arlene Semeco claimed the silver in 55.78, and Brazil’s Flavia Delaroli took home the bronze in 55.84.
Team USA’s women took home the gold in the 400m medley relay and set a Pan Am record in 4:04.60. Smit, Michelle McKeehan (Greenwood, Ind.), Kathleen Hersey (Atlanta, Ga.), and Maritza Correia (Valrico, Fla.) led the field throughout the race to top both Canada and Brazil in the final event of the meet. Canada claimed the silver medal in 4:07.85 and Brazil took the bronze in 4:09.27.
Throughout the seven day competition, Team USA swimmers combined for a total of 38 medals. Brazil finished the meet with 27 and Canada took home a total of 17 medals. The USA women swam to 14 gold, five silver, and three bronze medals, while the USA men took home five gold, nine silver, and two bronze medals.
About USA Swimming: As the National Governing Body for competitive swimming in the United States, USA Swimming formulates the rules, implements policies and procedures, conducts national championships, disseminates safety and sports medicine information and selects athletes to represent the United States in international competition. USA Swimming has more than 300,000 members nationwide and sanctions more than 7,000 events each year. For more information, visit USA Swimming on-line.
