McClain Hermes steps out of the pool at the 2019 Parapan American Games on Aug. 26, 2019 in Lima, Peru.

LIMA -  Helping lead Team USA to 11 medals in the pool, Lizzi Smith and Carson Sanocki set Parapan American records on the second day of swimming competition at the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru.


Three highlights from the pool
Etching their names in the record books: Lizzi Smith (Muncie, Indiana) and Carson Sanocki (Charlotte, North Carolina) each swam to Parapan American records in the women’s 50-meter freestyle S9 and the men’s 100 breaststroke SB13, respectively. Smith, who set the Parapan Am record in prelims, bested her own time to set a new Americas mark. A student-athlete at Queens University of Charlotte, Sanocki earned his third medal in two days while setting the new record.

Back-to-back: Joining Smith and Sanocki as multi-medalists so far at the 2019 Parapans, McClain Hermes (Dacula, Georgia) earned her second medal of the meet with silver in the women’s 400 free S11, while Ross Minor (St. Augustine, Florida) takes home his second medal with a third-place finish in the men’s 400 free S11.

Well-represented: In two events this evening, the podium featured two U.S. athletes. Smith was joined by Elise Morely (Norton, Massachusetts), while MeiMei White (Orlando, Florida) and Hannah Aspden (Raleigh, North Carolina) each medaled in the women’s 100 breast SB8.

Team USA Results
11 medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze)

Gold (3): Lizzi Smith (Muncie, Ind.) women’s 50 free S9 (29.55); Carson Sanocki (Charlotte, N.C.) men’s 100m breast SB13 (1:09.22); MeiMei White (Orlando, Fla.) women’s 100m breast SB8 (1:31.24)

Silver (2): McClain Hermes (Dacula, Ga.) women’s 400 free S11 (5:52.62); Haven Shepherd (Carthage, Mo.) women’s 100m breast SB7 (1:43.39)

Bronze (6): Liam Smith (Rockford, Mich.) men’s 100 free S7 (1:09.09); Elise Morley (Norton, Mass.) women’s 50 free (30.59); Zach Shattuck (Mt. Airy, Md.) men’s 50m fly S6 (33.90); Ross Minor (St. Augustine, Fla.) men’s 400 free S11 (4:54.93); Joe Murray (Burlington, N.C.) men’s 100m breast SB8 (1:24.48); Hannah Aspden (Raleigh, N.C.) women’s 100m breast SB8 (1:36.56).

Full results can be found at TeamUSA.org/Parapan2019 and Lima 2019’s website. 

Quotes
Lizzi Smith
“As a warm up meet for world championships in London next month, I'm really happy with the results here and where that puts me leading into the next competition. Mentally, physically...I’m at the best spot I’ve ever been. With the mental part coming together, it’s crazy how much the physical part comes along with it. I moved cities and I’m with a coach (Ian Crocker) that I work really well with. A lot of credit to the coach that I’m working with now.”

Carson Sanocki
“Setting a Parapan record feels really good. I’ve worked really hard. It was a long summer training so I’m glad to see it paying off a little bit. This meet is kind of my first meet on the world stage, so I wanted to show everyone that I’ve arrived. I’m definitely excited. I have the first couple races under my belt, then a couple days off to recover, then I’ll get ready for the final stretch of the meet.”

Zach Shattuck
“It was a good first race and it was a best time, so it was a good way to start it off. It’s always fun to race against Connor Gioffreda. He pushes me to be better. We raced together in college - I was a senior and he was a freshman - so it’s cool to keep that friendly competition going.”

“Lima is a good place to see where my training is at. I was at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for three months doing some altitude training, so that gave me a good sense of where I’m at and what I need to do in the next year leading up to Tokyo.”


What To Watch
Seventeen athletes will take to the pool tomorrow, including Smith and Hermes who will seek to go three days in a row earning a medal. They will be joined in the pool by fellow Paralympians Aspden, Leslie Cichocki (Palos Hills, Illinois) and Tye Dutcher (Merced, California).

Get Connected
Coverage of the 2019 U.S. Parapan American Team can be found at TeamUSA.org/Parapan2019. Visit TeamUSA.org/USADaily to sign up to receive the USA Daily, a digital news blast that provides Team USA results and highlights each night via email during the Games. Livestream of the Parapan American Games Lima 2019 is also available on TeamUSA.org/Live.

Follow U.S. Paralympics on Twitter,Instagram and Facebook for updated results throughout the Parapan American Games Lima 2019.