Paige Madden, Rachel Stege Post Huge PBs During 1-2 Finish in 800 Free at Pan Ams

2023 PAN AMERICAN GAMES

• October 21-25, 2023
• Santiago, Chile
• Meet Central
• Entries (Psych Sheet)
• Live Results
• Live Stream
  • Fubo TV (subscription required)
  • PanAm Sports Channel (USA, Canada, Jamaica)
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap| Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap

American distance specialists Paige Madden and Rachel Stege posted huge four-second improvements in the 800-meter freestyle en route to a 1-2 finish at the 2023 Pan American Games on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Madden won in 8:27.99 with Stege right behind in 8:28.50, marking both of their first times under 8:32. Madden’s previous best was an 8:32.46 from the TYR Pro Championships in July while Stege had been as fast as 8:32.71 at June’s U.S. Trials, where the University of Georgia junior placed 7th.

Madden narrowly missed the Pan Ams record of 8:27.54 set by Sierra Schmidt in 2015. On Saturday, the University of Virginia product-turned-Arizona State pro broke the meet record in the 400 free with a winning time of 4:06.45, which marked her fastest swim since the Tokyo Olympics two years ago. Madden didn’t contest the 800 free at U.S. Trials this summer, but that might change next year with the event catching up with her 200/400 free specialities. She placed 4th in 400 free (4:06.78) and 16th in 200 free (1:59.64) at U.S. Nationals after earning Olympic silver in Tokyo as a member of the U.S. women’s 4×200 free relay.

Stege touched more than five seconds ahead of 3rd-place finisher Viviane Jungblut (8:33.35), who snagged bronze for Brazil.

Although the improvements are promising in such a short time span, the American duo of Madden and Stege still have a ways to go in order to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Right now, the frontrunners behind world record holder Katie Ledecky are Jillian Cox (personal-best 8:19.73 at Worlds), Katie Grimes (personal-best 8:17.05 in Tokyo Olympics prelims), Leah Smith (8:17.52 at 2022 U.S. International Team Trials), and Claire Weinstein (8:21.00). Madden and Stege might have to drop another 10 seconds or more by next summer in order to leapfrog the aforementioned quartet.

WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Record: 8:04.79 – Katie Ledecky, United States (2016)
• Pan American Games Record: 8:27.54 – Sierra Schmidt, United States (2015)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Paige Madden (United States) – 8:27.99
• SILVER: Rachel Stege (United States) – 8:28.50
• BRONZE: Viviane Jungblut (Brazil) – 8:33.55

Argentina’s Agostina Hein, just 15 year old, came into the race as the top seed and the only swimmer seeded under 8:30, however, she just wasn’t at her best tonight, and came in 5th with an 8:39.72.

Of note, Chile’s own Kristel Kobrich, a 38-year-old competing in her record 6th Pan American Games, came in 4th tonight with an 8:35.69. It was a very good performance for Kobrich, holds the Chilean Record in the event with an 8:26.75 that she swam at the 2013 World Championships, a little over 10 years ago.