Beijing Olympic Games

Updated: 2007-07-23 From: Xinhuanet

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 20 (Xinhua) — The world swimming powerhouse the United States and the Pan Am Games host Brazil again split the gold medals at stake on Friday.

The American swimmers claimed four gold medals in men’s 200m freestyle, women’s 200m freestyle, women’s 800m freestyle and women’s 200m individual medley while Brazil took two golds from men’s 200m individual medley and men’s 4X100m freestyle relay.

Thiago Pereira continued his all-dominating performance to win his fourth straight gold medal, beating Robert Margalis of the United States in the men’s 200m individual medley.

Pereira also broke four Pan Am Games records and was awarded another gold medal as a substitute in the 4×100m freestyle relay.

“I will let the competition go on. There are still three events, one of them, the 200m backstroke, is very tough as the 4th and 5thbest swimmers in the world will be swimming. But as I’ve always said, the event is decided in the water.” Pereira said.

The Brazilian quartet of Fernando Silva, Eduardo Deboni, Nicolas Oliveira and Cesar Cielo Filho surprisingly won the men’s 4X100m freestyle relay event, beating the United States to the second place.

It was the second relay gold the Brazilians won at these Pan AmGames. They also won the men’s 4X200m freestyle earlier in the tournament.

“It’s the most important medal of my life. Only by looking at the other opponents we could say who was nervous. Being together for ten days at the Pan American Village made us really close.” said Fernando Silva.

Julia Smit of the United States, who won the women’s 200m backstroke title yesterday, won another gold in Friday’s 200m individual medley with a time of 2 minutes 13.07 seconds.

“Yesterday, it was very hard. I was tired and couldn’t get the time I wanted. Despite that, I think I did my best on yesterday’s events. I’m very happy to take the gold back to the United States,” Smit said.

Other U.S. gold came through Mattew Owen in the men’s 200m freestyle, Ava Ohlgren in the women’s 200m freestyle and Caroline Burckle in the women’s 800m freestyle.