Ludwig adds to U.S. men’s pole vaulting legacy at meet, capturing 15th title in event; McCoy wins women’s high jump and Thompson takes men’s javelin, both securing first championships for Americans since 1987, with Haugh, Winkler and Michalski also producing podium finishes in Chile

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Matthew Ludwig continued the strong tradition for the United States with another Pan American Games gold medal in the men’s pole vault Saturday and a pair of significant title droughts were finally ended for the Americans on the last day of competition at Julio Martinez Pradanos National Stadium in Santiago, Chile.

Curtis Thompson captured the men’s javelin throw championship and Rachel McCoy secured women’s high jump gold, both the first in their respective events for the U.S. at the Pan Am Games since 1987.

The Americans finished as the top country with eight gold medals and 25 overall. Brazil and Cuba both won seven gold medals, with the Brazilians also achieving 23 podium finishes.

There were also a pair of Pan Am Games records achieved Saturday, with Canada’s Ethan Katzberg in the men’s hammer throw and Argentina’s Belen Casetta in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Ludwig followed Chris Nilsen’s victory for the U.S. in 2019 in Peru by clearing 18-2.50 (5.55m) on his first attempt, with Argentina’s German Chiaraviglio securing silver at 18-0.50 (5.50m) and Mexico’s Jorge Luna taking bronze at 17-8.50 (5.40m).

The Americans have won 15 of 19 men’s pole vault gold medals at the Pan Am Games, including the first seven from 1951-75, followed by a streak of another six titles from 1983-2003.

Thompson punctuated his javelin victory with a sixth-round effort of 261-4 (79.65m) after his opening-round performance of 258-3 (78.72m) was also good enough to win the competition, becoming the first American athlete to triumph since Duncan Atwood in 1987.

Brazil’s Pedro Nunes earned silver with a mark of 257-4 (78.45m) on his second throw.

Guyana’s Leslain Baird took bronze with a 256-8 (78.23m), earning the first medal for his country in the event in meet history.

McCoy cleared 6-1.50 (1.87m) on her second attempt to become the first women’s high jump champion for the U.S. since Coleen Sommer captured back-to-back titles in 1983 and 1987.

McCoy also earned the first high jump podium finish for the Americans since 1995.

Colombia’s Jennifer Rodriguez achieved a 6-0.50 (1.84m) clearance to capture silver and Marisabel Senyu from the Dominican Republic grabbed bronze by clearing 5-11.50 (1.81m).

Katzberg, the reigning World Athletics Championships gold medalist, triumphed again in Chile with a fifth-round performance of 265-7 (80.96m), surpassing the 2011 standard of 261-3 (79.63m) achieved by American athlete Kibwe Johnson in Mexico.

Daniel Haugh and fellow American competitor Rudy Winkler achieved silver and bronze, respectively. Haugh held off a potential Winkler comeback on his sixth attempt to produce a mark of 254-8 (77.62m). Winkler had achieved a throw of 251-6 (76.65m) in the fifth round.

It marked the first time since 2015 that the Americans achieved a pair of Pan Am Games medals in the men’s hammer throw.

Casetta ran 9:39.47 to prevail in the 3,000 steeplechase, eclipsing the 9:41.45 performance produced by Canada’s Genevieve Lalonde in 2019 in Peru.

Alycia Butterworth from Canada clocked 9:40.86 to secure silver and Brazil’s Tatiane Da Silva achieved bronze in 9:41.29, as all three athletes ran faster than the previous meet record.

Canadian competitor Jean-Simon Desgagnes triumphed in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase in 8:30.14, with Daniel Michalski capturing silver for the U.S. in 8:36.47 and Colombia’s Carlos San Martin taking bronze in 8:41.59.

Cuba earned a pair of medals in the women’s 800-meter final, with Sahily Diago emerging victorious in 2:02.71 and Rose Mary Almanza grabbing bronze in 2:03.68. Uruguay’s Deborah Rodriguez was the silver medalist in 2:02.88.

Venezuela’s Jose Antonio Maita triumphed in the men’s 800 championship in 1:45.69, with Mexico’s Jesus Tonatiu Lopez capturing silver in 1:46.04 and former Mississippi State All-American Navasky Anderson earning bronze for Jamaica in 1:46.40.

The Americans were unable to achieve a medal in either 4x400 final, placing fifth in both races.

Cuba captured the women’s 4x400 gold in 3:33.15, prevailing against the Dominican Republic in 3:34.27 and Brazil in 3:34.80.

Brazil won the men’s 4x400 in 3:03.92, with Mexico taking silver in 3:04.22 and the Dominican Republic clocking 3:05.98 to achieve bronze.

Ecuador was victorious in the marathon race walk mixed relay final in 2:56:49.