SANTIAGO, Chile – Maggie Mac Neil added another championship to her collection and Mary-Sophie Harvey stood atop the podium alone for the first time as Canada continued its winning streak Sunday at the Pan American Games.
Olympic, Commonwealth and world short-course champion Mac Neil, who has also held the NCAA and world long-course titles in the 100-m butterfly, did it again, winning her signature event in a Pan Am Games record 56.94.
Mac Neil, who finished nearly a second ahead of American Kelly Pash, said she was nervous before the race, likely her only opportunity to claim Pan Am gold in her illustrious career.
“It’s one of the only titles I didn’t have yet so I really felt the pressure on myself to get it but I’m really happy with that,” said the 23-year-old London (Ont.) Aquatic Club product. “I haven’t been under 57 this year so I just want to improve from there. I’m glad I could do that.”
Mac Neil’s win followed Harvey getting Canada off to a golden start at Santiago’s El Centro Acuático del Parque Estadio Nacional. The 24-year-old Olympian from Montreal’s CAMO club won the women’s 200-m freestyle in 1:58.08.
“My heart rate was probably like a 200 because in the ready room my suit ripped. So I had to run and put this new suit on like less than five minutes before. On my first 50 I didn’t really feel anything, my heartbeat was just going off, but it was good, I’m really pleased with that,” Harvey said.
After being fifth at the halfway mark and fourth at the final turn she out-touched Brazilian Maria Da Silva Costa by .04 seconds for her first individual gold at a major senior international championships or Games.
Both gold medallists were joined by fellow Canadians in their finals. Harvey’s CAMO teammate Katerine Savard of Pont-Rouge, Que., finished fifth in the 100 fly at 59.40. Edmonton native Emma O’Croinin of the High Performance Centre – Vancouver finished sixth in the 200 free in 2:00.79.
Canada added two bronze medals Sunday to bring its two-day total to eight (4 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze).
Hugh McNeill of the UBC Thunderbirds earned Canada’s first individual men’s Pan Am medal since the Toronto 2015 Games. The 20-year-old, who made his senior national team debut at this summer’s World Aquatics Championships, touched the wall in 1:59.96 to grab the bronze 0.27 seconds ahead of Yeziel Morales of Puerto Rico. Americans Jack Aikins (1:56.58) and Ian Grum (1:57.19) took the top two spots.
“I feel really good. It was a good race. Even though I wasn’t with the top two, being able to compete for the bronze was very good,” McNeill said.
Canada capped the night with bronze in the mixed 4×100-m freestyle relay. The team of Finlay Knox, Javier Acevedo, Mac Neil and Harvey combined for a time of 3:25.23. Brazil set a Pan Am Games record 3:23.78 to win ahead of defending champion Team USA, whose 3:24.21 was under the previous Pan Am record 3:24.84 that won in Lima, Peru, four years ago.
Preliminary swimmers Stephen Calkins, Edouard Fullum-Huot, Brooklyn Douthwright and Katerine Savard also receive a medal.
In other A finals, Okotoks, Alta., native Knox, who trains at HPC-Vancouver, finished fourth in the men’s 100 fly in 52.89. Maddy Gatrall of Windsor Aquatic Club came fifth in the women’s 200 backstroke in a personal best 2:14.44. Victoria’s Jeremy Bagshaw was seventh in the men’s 200 free at 1:49.66. Raben Dommann of HPC-Van was eighth in the men’s 200 back at 2:03.52.
The five-day meet continues Monday, with Mac Neil and Harvey back in action as the third and sixth seeds in the women’s 100 free. Both could also factor into the mixed medley relay. Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s Kelsey Wog holds the top seed in the women’s 200 breaststroke, while fellow Olympian Sydney Pickrem sits third. On the men’s side, James Dergousoff of HPC-Van and Brayden Taivassalo of HPC-Ontario are the third and fourth seeds in the 200 breast. Canada has two swimmers seeded third in the 100 backstroke – Danielle Hanus of HPC-Van in the women’s and Acevedo of HPC-Ont in the men’s. Gatrall enters fourth in the women’s and Blake Tierney of HPC-Van fifth in the men’s 100 back.
CBC Sports is streaming on multiple channels each day on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem. Those platforms will also carry a live show weekdays starting at 6 p.m. ET, hosted by Anastasia Bucsis and featuring a mix of live events and highlights with a focus on Canadian athletes. The CBC TV network will have additional coverage on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, hosted by Scott Russell and Andi Petrillo.