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• 07 / 26 / 2007

Mitch Richeson of Greenwood, Ind., and two-time Olympian Troy Dumais of Ventura, Calif., took the synchronized diving even off the 3-meter springboard. their 422.52 points easily outdistances duos from Cuba and Canada.

On the women's 10-meter platform, Paola Espinosa of Mexico won gold, followed by 14-year-old Haley Ishimatsu (Seal Beach, Calif.) and Juliana Veloso, Brazil.

Americans finished 1-3 in the women's 400-meter hurdles, with Sheena Johnson (Stafford, Va.) taking gold in 54.64 seconds, and Nicole Leach (Philadelphia) winning bronze.

Canada's Jessica Zelinka captured the heptathlon with 6,136 points; Mexico's Ana Guevara won the 400 meters in 50.34; Brazil's Maurren Maggi won the long jump at 22.44 feet; Mexico's Maria Rosmary Rifka earned the high jump gold at 6.4 feet; and Deloreen Ennis-London, Jamaica, won the 100-meter hurdles in 12.65 seconds, a Pan Ams record.

Among the men, Canada's James Steacy beat Kibwe Johnson (Oakland, Calif.) in the hammer throw. Steacy threw 242.03 feet and Johnson managed 240.26.

Hudson Souza of Brazil set a Pan Ams record with his 3:36.32 in the 1,500 meters. Chris Brown of the Bahamas won the 400 in 44.85.

Americans won three of the four roller skating speed golds. The men's 500-meter sprint went to Joey Mantia ( Ocala, Fla.). Britanny Bowe (Summerfield, Fla.) won the women's event. And the 15,000 meters went to Jessica Smith (Melvindale, Mich.).

Jorge Luis Cifuentes, Colombia, took the men's 15,000.

In Greco-Roman wrestling, Justin Ruiz of Salt Lake City won the 96-kilogram class. Robert Monzon of Cuba took gold in 60 kilos, with Lindsey Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finishing second. Odelis Herrero of Cuba was the 74-kilos winner, and T.C. Dantzler (Colorado Springs) took bronze.

Karate winners were Brazil's Juarez Santos in the 80-kilogram class, Venezuela's Luis Plumacher in 65 kilos, and in women's over 60 kilos, Lucelia Ribeiro of Brazil.

The United States had 176 medals (75 gold, 67 silver, 34 bronze) through Wednesday, with Cuba second in gold at 35, while Brazil was second in total medals with 109.

TEAMS

Softball finally got going after two days of delays because of weather problems and stadium woes. The world champion Americans beat Brazil 7-0 on a combined no-hitter from Jennie Finch of LaMirada, Calif., who struck out 11 in four innings, and Alicia Hollowell of Suisun, Calif., who fanned all three batters in the fifth before the game was called by the mercy rule. Laura Berg of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., was the only American with two hits.

In their second game, a 4-0 victory over Colombia, the Americans also got no-hit pitching. Monica Abbott of Salinas, Calif., fanned 12 in five innings, then Jennie Ritter of Ann Arbor, Mich., closed it out with five strikeouts in two innings. Andrea Duran of Selma, Calif., accounted for the runs with a grand slam in the third.

The U.S. men hope to join the women as gold medalists in water polo. The Americans defeated Cuba 15-4 and will play Brazil for the title. Peter Varellas (Moraga, Calif.), Jeff Powers (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) and Ryan Bailey (Long Beach, Calif.) each scored three goals.

In men's volleyball, the Americans swept Puerto Rico 25-22, 25-17, 25-23. Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) had 12 spikes and Brook Billings (Santa Barbara, Calif.) added 11.

Although it was only for seventh place, the American men's field hockey team routed Brazil 13-0 as Pat Harris (Moorpark, Calif.) scored five goals and Jarred Martin (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) added two. It was the lowest finish for a U.S. men's team in a Pan Ams.

Canada earned an Olympic spot when it outlasted Argentina 5-4 on penalty strokes after a 2-2 tie and won the gold medal.

Chile won the bronze by beating Trinidad rea Nott of San Jose, Calif., and Christina Jones of Missoula, Mont., won the technical duet portion of synchronized swimming with 94.500 points. Canada was second and Brazil third. The gold medalists Friday earn their nation a spot in the Beijing Games. The United States has earned all but two Pan Ams duet titles since 1955, with the exception of 1979 and 1999, in which Canada took home the crown.

The United States scored two goals in the last minute and survived a penalty kick as time expired to defeat Costa Rica 6-5, but did not advance to the medals round.

Coach Keith Tozer pulled goalkeeper Brett Phillips (Syracuse, N.Y.) in favor of a fifth attacker with 3:30 left in the game and his team was rewarded with two goals, by Matt Stewart (Houston) and Denison Cabral (Odenton, Md.), to regain the lead 6-5. With Phillips back in the game, the Americans had to survive a controversial penalty kick at the end of regulation time that sailed wide left.

ADVANCING

Only one U.S. boxer fought Wednesday, and light welterweight Karl Dargan (Philadelphia) moved into the final with a 9-8 victory over Myke Carvalho of Brazil. The bout was close throughout, and tied 6-6 entering the fourth round. The first minute of the fourth was filled with lead changes. With 30 seconds remaining in the bout, Dargan scored the winning point, then evaded the charging Carvalho.

Dargan fights Jonathan Gonzalez Ortiz of Puerto Rico for the title.