David Gelfand competes at the 2019 Parapan American Games on Aug. 29, 2019 in Lima, Peru.

LIMA, Peru – U.S. swimmers raced to nine medals – three silvers, six bronzes – on the fifth day of competition at the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. 

Top Highlights From The Pool
Podium breakthrough – Summer Schmit (Grant, Minnesota) captured her first medal of the Parapan American Games, winning silver in the women’s 200-meter individual medley SM9 today. The 16-year-old is making her Parapan American debut and will compete in her final individual event, the women's 100 breaststroke SB9, on Saturday.

Back-to-back – Less than 24 hours after their events on Wednesday, Tye Dutcher (Merced, California), Abby Gase (Bowling Green, Ohio), Matt Torres (Ansonia, Connecticut) and Liam Smith (Rockford, Michigan) continued their winning ways by racing their way to the podium with bronze medals. 

Morning medals – In her Parapan American debut, Abby Gase (Bowling Green, Ohio) has won all three of her bronze medals in morning sessions, showing her ability to swim her best without a full day of preparation as evening swimmers receive. Gase earned her third bronze medal today in the women’s 50 butterfly S7 in a time of 48.62.

Team USA Results
9 medals (3 silvers, 6 bronzes)

Silver (3): Haven Shepherd (Carthage, Mo.) – women’s 200m individual medley SM8 (3:09.39); Carson Sanocki (Charlotte, N.C.) – men’s 400m freestyle S13 (4:32.48); Summer Schmit (Grant, Minn.) – women’s 200m individual medley SM9 (2:42.23)

Bronze (6): Tye Dutcher (Merced, Calif.) – men’s 100m butterfly S10 (1:04.33); Abby Gase (Bowling Green, Ohio) – women’s 50m butterfly S7 (48.62); David Gelfand (Weston, Conn.) – men’s 200m individual medley SM9 (2:28.16); Natalie Sims (Edina, Minn.) – women’s 200m individual medley SM9 (2:42.94); Liam Smith (Rockford, Mich.) – men’s 50m butterfly S7 (34.19); Matt Torres (Ansonia, Conn.) – men’s individual medley SM8 (2:43.27)

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

Quotes
Summer Schmit
“It feels incredible. It’s been my goal ever since I was young and started swimming so to finally have achieved it, I’m ecstatic.”

Haven Shepherd
“It was fantastic. I took a two-second drop and after getting over the disappointment of the news of the [disqualified] relay last night, I just kind of snapped out of it and remembered why I was there. You see your teammates up in the stands waving the American flag and realize it’s such an honor to be out here.”

David Gelfand
“It’s been a really hard meet for me. I fell sick on Monday and had to miss my 100-meter breaststroke. I wasn’t feeling good at all. To go out there, have a best time and win a medal – it didn’t feel good, but I’m just so thrilled to just put it all out there and win a medal for Team USA.”

What To Watch
Pool action continues on Friday as several U.S. swimmers will seek to extend their medal tally in Lima. Alyssa Gialamas (Naperville, Illinois) is looking for her second gold medal at the Parapan American Games in the women's 200 free S5 (S3-S4). Three-time Parapan American champion Hannah Aspden (Raleigh, North Carolina) hopes to add another gold medal in the women’s 100 free S9 against U.S. teammate Natalie Sims (Edina, Minnesota). Joseph Peppersack (Hopewell, Pennsylvania) will double up on events tomorrow evening, competing for two medals in the men’s 50 free S8 and the 100 breast SB7.

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.