On the final day of competition, it will be decided which country will top the swimming medal tables here at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games.
There are a total of six medals up for grabs, and the prelim session should give an idea of who might take them going into finals tonight, and be crowned the best swimming nation at these games.
Starting off with prelims, there will be the women’s 800m freestyle. That will be a timed final, with times counting towards medal positions tonight. The fastest eight swimmers will be swimming in the evening. Canadian Brittany MacLean is the top seed there.
WHO WILL BE WITH CAITLIN LEVERENZ THIS MORNING?
The only individual events that will run as normal prelim session will be the men’s and women’s 200m IMs. Caitlin Leverenz of the United States is the clear favourite in the 200m IM especially after taking gold in the 400 IM earlier in the meet. She’ll be in the third heat flanked by Canadian Sydney Pickrem and Brazilian Gabriella Goncalves.
Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson of Canada will also be in this event, and with a 2:11.76 seed time she’s no slouch. A definite medal threat, today will test just what kind of shape she’s in heading into finals.
IS REDEMPTION IN STORE FOR THIAGO PEREIRA?
With a fairly similar set of swimmers as to the 400m IM earlier in the meet, Brazilian Thiago Pereira might have redemption after his unfortunate disqualification.
In the men’s 400m IM final, it was revealed after Pereira had touched first that he had been disqualified for a non simultaneous touch on his breaststroke.
Pereira lost the gold medal because of this, and will be fighting for another one if he can get a spot in finals. He’s the top seed, so making tonight’s final shouldn’t be much of a challenge for him.
LETS GET READY TO RELAY
With Canada the favourite in both distance swims, and one gold assumably going to the United States (women’s 200m IM) and the Brazilians (men’s 200m IM), the overall scores might come down to the relays.
That would give Canada nine golds, Brazil nine golds, and the United States 10 golds.
For the medley relays, according to several athletes, you are only allowed to switch out TWO prelim swimmers for final swimmers tonight.
That means that this morning an idea will form for who is the top team heading into the medleys.
