Thursday, November 23rd, 2023.- Brazil simply has no rivals in Para Swimming at Santiago 2023: in four of the last five finals this Thursday, they took the gold medal, including a complete podium, and in total, they already have 57 medals in this sport. 

In the female's 100m backstroke S9, the gold went to Mariana Gesteira, with 1:10.10, breaking a Pan American record that Canadian Stephanie Dixon held since Rio de Janeiro 2007 (1:11.42). Silver and bronze went to the Americans María Francescotti (1:20.14) and Keegan Knott (1:21.98). 

In the male's 100m backstroke S9, the complete podium was for Brazil: gold for Víctor dos Santos (1:04.50, Pan American record), silver for Andrey Pereira (1:06.38), and bronze for Lucas Lamente (1:06.78). 

In the male's 100m freestyle S10, another victory for a Brazilian: Phelipe Melo, with 53.18. He was followed by the American Yaseen El-Demerdash (56.39) and the Canadian Jagdev Gill (56.90). 

Finally, Brazil closed the day with a victory in the 4x100m freestyle 49 points mixed relay, with a time of 4:00.83, a new Pan American record. One of the team members, Douglas Rocha, reached eight gold medals in Santiago, while Maria Gomes added 6. Silver went to Mexico (4:34.40), and bronze to Colombia (4:34.52). 

The only one who interrupted the Brazilian dominance was the Colombian Nelson Crispín, who won gold in the male's 100m breaststroke SB6 with 1:19.21, a Pan American record. Silver went to the American Zachary Shattuck (1:25.23), and bronze to the Argentine Iñaki Basiloff (1:26.73). 


Written by María Fernanda Pavez - Alejandro Pérez; translated by Rocio Rojas / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport 
Photo by Christian Zapata / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport