Williams, Marsh golden for Team USATF on day four of Pan American Games

SANTIAGO – A pair of golds and four other medals raised Team USATF's total to 14 on day four of the 19th Pan American Games at National Stadium. That medal total ties the U.S. with Brazil atop the table with two days remaining.
 
After watching Venezuela's 2017 World Championships bronze medalist Robeilys Peinado go over 4.55/14-11 on her second attempt, Bridget Williams made a bold tactical decision and passed on her second attempt at that height. She sailed over 4.60/15-1 on her first try to turn the tables on Peinado, and the Venezuelan missed twice before passing to 4.65/15-3 for one attempt, also a miss. Nastajssa Campbell ended up seventh with a best of 4.10/13-5.25.
 
Williams is only the second U.S. gold medalist in the event at the Pan American Games. She said, "I competed in Budapest and didn't do exactly what I wanted there, so I trained a few weeks after that and then took three weeks off as usual to reset. During the next training block I worked on some shorter runs and then moved back to a longer run. I tried to ride the wave of my peak from the summer."
 
The leader after the first day of the women's heptathlon, Erin Marsh reinforced her lead with a very good 6.27/20-7 long jump to open day two and then turned in solid efforts in the javelin and 800 to capture gold with 5,882 points, 217 ahead of Puerto Rico's Alysbeth Felix. Jordan Gray gave it all she had in the 800, winning the final event in 2:16.91 to seal the bronze with 5,494 points.
 
"The past two days have been fun but difficult and challenging," Marsh said. "We had good vibes and didn't let each other get down too much. There was a lot to be proud of considering it's November, and I know what I need to work on in training." Gray added, "I took about four weeks off and then went back to general prep and a little bit of technique stuff leading up to this. Your body knows what to do at this point, but it was a bit difficult after the first day. The training is paying off."
 
Venezuela's Joselyn Brea took the early pacing duties in the women's 5000 and she and Canada's Julie-Anne Staehli passed the kilometer in 3:19 with Taylor Werner and Emily Infeld on their heels a stride behind. Staehli had a slight lead over Werner at 3K in 10:00.19 and Infeld had moved in front of Brea. With four laps to go Werner surged to the lead and stayed there until there was 200 to go. Brea made a big move on the last bend and established an unassailable lead on the way to gold in 16:04.12, while Staehli briefly passed Werner, only to see the American go back by her down the stretch and claim silver in 16:06.48. Infeld placed fourth in 16:09.53.
 
Cranking out a 55.43 final 400 in the men's 1500, Casey Comber secured bronze in 3:39.90, just .16 behind the winner, a diving Charles Philibert-Thiboutot of Canada and his countryman, silver medalist Robert Heppenstall, who battled furiously for the win but fell .02 short. Tuesday's 5000 gold medalist, Kasey Knevelbaard, also closed quickly, using a 55.29 last lap to finish fifth in 3:40.31.
 
Comber said, "I wasn't sure how the race was going to go, and it was pretty honest. I fought to stay up toward the front and gave myself a shot today but just didn't quite have enough down the final 30 meters."
 
Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships runner-up Adelaide Aquilla, a two-time World Championships team member and a Tokyo Olympian, put together a solid series in the women's shot put to earn bronze with a best of 17.77/58-3.75. Canada's Sarah Mitton, the World Championships silver medalist, won with a throw of 19.19/62-11.5, and all five of her legal attempts would have been good enough to win. "It's awesome to finally medal at a big meet," Aquilla said. "It's an awesome meet, the crowd was electric. It's definitely a little weird competing in November, because I took all of September off training. I'm doing some new things in the weight room so it was a good test to see what's working."
 
Mylana Hearn saved her best for last in the women's triple jump, spanning 13.32/43-8.5 to take fifth, with Euphenie Andre ninth at 12.14/39-10. The U.S. women's 4x100 relay team of Alaysha Johnson, Taylor Anderson, Shannon Ray and Kennedy Blackmon fumbled the second exchange and finished seventh in 61.30. In the semifinal, the team placed third in the first section in 44.83.
 
The men's 4x100 relay also met with trouble. Demarius Smith and Chris Royster passed safely, and then Ilias Garcia ran a very competitive third leg to hand off to Terrance Laird a step behind Brazil. Laird was reeling in the leader but pulled up halfway down the straightaway and did not finish.
 
TEAM USATF MEDALS (14)
 
Gold (4)
Kasey Knevelbaard, men's 5000 (14:47.69)
DeAnna Price, women's hammer (72.34/237-4)
Bridget Williams, women's pole vault (4.60/15-1)
Erin Marsh, women's heptathlon (5,882 points)
 
Silver (2)
De'Vion Wilson, men's 110 hurdles (13.78)
Taylor Werner, women's 5000 (16:06.48)
 
Bronze (8)
Ednah Kurgat, women's 10,000 (33:16.61)
Tiffany Flynn, women's long jump (6.40/21-0)
Mixed 4x400 relay (Demarius Smith, Honour Finley, Richard Johnson, Jada Griffin) 3:19.41
Ryan Talbot, men's decathlon (7,742 points)
Alaysha Johnson, women's 100 hurdles (13.19)
Casey Comber, men's 1500 (3:39.90)
Adelaide Aquilla, women's shot put (17.77/58-3.75)
Jordan Gray, women's heptathlon (5,494 points)
 
Fans can watch at panamsportschannel.org and follow results here.