Canada nabs Pan Am bronze in women's 4x100m free
Canada won the bronze medal in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay on Saturday as swimming competition got underway at the Pan American Games.
The United States set a Games record to win the gold in three minutes 40.66 seconds, Brazil was second in 3:44.62 and the Canadians were third in 3:48.37.
The Canadian swimmers were Jennifer Beckberger of Ajax, Ont., Caroline Lapierre-Lemire of Trois-Rivieres, Que., Ashley McGregor of Pointe-Claire, Que., and Paige Schultz of Toronto.
Schultz overcame a bout of food poisoning suffered two days ago to fend of a strong challenge from Arlene Semeco of Venezuela to assure Canada third spot.
"In the last 75 metres, I saw the Venezuelan girl so I just put my head down," said Schultz, 20. "I really wanted to get that medal for Canada."
McGregor, one of Canada's top breaststrokers, discovered her freestyle skills are also strong.
"Just getting to swim with these girls was a fantastic opportunity for me," McGregor said. "There was definitely a bit of pressure because I knew we wanted to get a medal in this event."
Lapierre-Lemire also felt stressed about the race.
"I never expected to be in a position like this," said Lapierre-Lemire, 21. "It was really close for third but we raced well."
Beckberger, 25, set the tone posting the fastest time on the first split and had Canada second after her opening relay leg.
"It feels incredible," she said. "I wanted to get out fast with the U.S., and show the girls that we could race with them."
Canadian swimmers also posted two fourth place finishes.
In the women's 100 butterfly, Erin Miller of Edmonton came within a second of the podium clocking 1:00.49 just behind third place finisher Elaine Breeden of the U.S., third in 59.81. Claire Donahue of the U.S., was the winner.
The result was a promising showing for Miller, a 25-year-old veteran whose career had been derailed in recent years by injuries. She missed the 2008-09 season due to a shoulder injury and spent most of 2009-10 returning her swimming technique.
In the women's 400-metre individual medley, Hanna Pierse of Vancouver, also on the comeback from injury this season, was fourth clocking 4:52.95. Karyn Jewell of Ottawa-Orleans, Ont., took seventh spot. Julia Smit of the U.S., won the race.