Pan American Games 2023: Mexico takes double gold on final day of diving in Santiago

Randal Willars took gold in the men's 10m platform on Wednesday (24 October) to complete Mexico's historic diving performance at the 2023 Pan American Games.

Eight golds over second placed Canada's two - Santiago 2023 belonged to the Mexicans.

"Regardless of the personal results, we are also motivated by the fact that the whole delegation did quite well, so well*," *Willars told press in Spanish after stepping down from the podium. 

He also took gold in the men's 10m platform synchronized with partner Kevin Berlin days earlier on Sunday, 22 October. 

The women's 3m springboard synchronised kicked off the night and Mexico's Arantxa Chavez and Paola Pineda sealed gold with a spectacular series of dives.

Canada's Mia Vallee and Pamela Ware finished with silver while Team USA's Hailey Hernandez and Jordan Skilken took bronze.

• Pan American Games Santiago 2023: Overall medal table - complete list

Next up, the men prepared for their 10m platform final.

It was Mexico's Kenny Zamudio that took an early lead, but was quickly overtaken by eventual silver medallist Nathan Murray, who pulled off a near perfect 4.5 somersault to earn two 'perfect 10s' from the judges to sit atop the standings.

Murray held top spot until the final dive of the day, when Willars nailed his 4.5 somersault to overtake the 12.65 point defecit. The crowd went quiet as it was unclear who would take the gold, and erupted when they saw Willar's name on top.

"I would have liked to have been able to close the competition from the back, not necessarily in the last dive, but hey, in the end it would be the result, which is the important thing*," *Willars said in Spanish. 

Zamudio took third with a score of 451.6 to add to Mexico's total medal count of 11.

The North Americans wrapped up diving at the Pan American Games with eight gold medals, two silver and one bronze to total eleven medals ahead of Canada's eight and Colombia's four.

Results from diving on October 25 at the 2023 Pan American Games

**Women's 3m springboard synchronized **

1. MEX: Arantxa Chavez and Paola Pineda
2. CAN: Mia Vallée and Pamela Ware
3. USA: Hailey Hernandez and Jordan Skilken
4. CUB: Anisley García and Prisis Ruiz
5. COL: Viviana Uribe and Daniela Zapata 
6. BRA: Anna Santos and Luana Lira 
7. PER: Ana Ricci and Mayte Salinas 

Men's 10m platform

1. Randal Willars, MEX
2. Nathan Murray-Zsombor, CAN
3. Kenny Zamuido, MEX
4. Rylan Wiens, CAN
5. Carlos Ramos, CUB
6. Isaac Souza, BRA
7. Sebastian Villa, COL
8. Alejandro Solarte, COL
9. Jordan Rzepka, USA
10. Santiago Choez, ECU
11. Jesus Gonzales, VEN