This time, Olympic champion Maggie Mac Neil didn’t need to wear glasses to check the scoreboard and see if she had won her race.

The 23-year-old Canadian, who went viral when she squinted to see her position in Tokyo two years ago, was the great individual figure of these Pan American Games, winning five gold medals, one silver and one bronze.

As the Santiago 2023 swim closed, Mac Neil took charge of the butterfly leg — her specialty — as her country claimed victory in the women’s 4×100 medley relay with a time of 3:58.76. The United States won the silver medal and Mexico stood on the podium with a bronze medal.

Unlike her experience in Tokyo, the Canadian quickly knew she had won.

“Now I wear prescription glasses, so I don’t have to squint and I can enjoy it,” Mac Neil said.

The Olympic champion in the 100 butterfly in Tokyo became the first Canadian athlete to win five gold medals at a single edition of the Pan American Games. She left behind her compatriot Jessica Deglau (1999), as well as another duo for the record for gold medals won by a Canadian.

In Chile, Mac Neil also won the 100 butterfly, the 50 and 100 freestyle as well as the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay.

On the way to Paris, the Canadian took the Pan American Games as a favorable test despite the fact that she did not face her main opponents.

He leaves happy to experience an Aquatic Center full of people.

“The crowd was incredible. And obviously, we missed that in Tokyo, unfortunately. So at any time you can set the mood and really cheer yourself up. “It’s good practice.”

After completing his task at the Pan American Games, Mac Neil plans to travel to Chile with his mother, Susan. He wants to see more parts of Santiago, explore the Chilean coast and spend a day in the Andes.

But it won’t take long to start training again.

“I’ve always been a very critical person about what I do and I have to remember it’s only October,” Mac Neil said.

MEDAL TABLEThe United States continues its overwhelming pace at the top of the podium, accumulating 59 gold medals and a grand total of 134.

Thanks to a great day in swimming and badminton, Canada managed to dethrone Mexico from second place.

Canadians have 28 golds and 76 medals in total. Mexico reached 26 gold medals and a total of 64.

Regardless, Mexico didn’t stop partying. On the final day of diving, Arantxa Chávez and Paola Pineda won gold on the synchronized three-meter springboard and Randal Willars did the same on the 10-meter platform. Additionally, the modern pentathlon team won the mixed relay crown and rower Kenia Lechuga won the individual regatta.

Brazil is in fourth place with a balance of 14 gold medals and a total of 61. The highlights of the day were the victories of Rebeca Andrade on the artistic gymnastics beam and Guilherme Costa in the 1,500 meter freestyle .

World runner-up Martha Bayona won the women’s keirin, Colombia’s first gold medal in track cycling. Their feat helped the Colombians leapfrog hosts Chile from fifth place, with six gold medals and 24 overall.

Among other notable achievements from Latin American countries, Dominican Audrys Nin Reyes revalidated his title in men’s show jumping; Ecuador’s Julio Mendoza won gold in the individual equestrian dressage competition, and Uruguayans Newton Seawright and Martín Zocalo won the title in the double pair of short oars.

THE PHRASE“I’m very happy and proud to come here after such a long World Cup and to have good heats, good presentations. I felt prepared and confident to do what I needed. It was a great start at the Pan American Games, I can’t complain.

That’s according to Andrade, who was crowned vault champion earlier this month at the Antwerp World Cup and then traveled to Chile for her first Pan American Games. He did not disappoint with his status as a prestigious figure in continental competitions.

THE DATAWith their two titles on Wednesday, the Mexicans finished with eight in diving. It was the country’s best performance at the Pan American Games since Guadalajara 2011, when they won the same number of gold medals. While hosting, the Mexicans also won three silver medals and one bronze. Now there were two silvers and one bronze.

AND AFTERThe Dominican Republic will try to retain its title as women’s volleyball champion after beating Argentina 3-1 in the semifinals. In September, the “Queens of the Caribbean” qualified in style for Paris 2024 after finishing first at the Pre-Olympic Games held in Ningbo, China. In the final on Thursday, they will face Brazil, who beat Mexico in five sets.