Pan American Games 2023: USA men and women complete water polo double to secure Paris 2024 Olympic quotas
USA's women's team beat Canada 20-11 to put them on course to defend their Olympic title. The men then defeated Brazil 17-7 for an eighth consecutive Pan American Games gold.
The United States women's water polo team claimed their sixth straight Pan American Games title on Saturday (4 November) and the one quota place on offer for Paris 2024 from the regional qualifying event in Santiago.
A shock quarter-final exit at the hands of Italy in July's Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships had left team USA with work to do to qualify for next year's Games.
But a 20-11 victory over Canada in the 2023 Pan American Games final saw them secure an Olympic spot and continue their bid for a fourth consecutive gold medal.
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
The game in Chile was still in the balance at half-time with USA leading 10-7, but they won the third quarter 6-2 to put the final beyond doubt.
Rachel Fattal and Jenna Flynn scored five goals apiece with Jewel Roemer and Jordan Raney both netting three times. For Canada, Hayley McKelvey scored four with Verica Bakoc and Serena Browne adding three apiece.
Earlier, Brazil edged out Argentina 10-9 to take women's bronze having trailed 7-6 going into the final quarter.
USA's men cruise to eighth consecutive title
USA's men followed suit in the Aquatic Centre of the National Stadium Park with a comfortable 17-7 win over Brazil.
That made it eight consecutive Pan American Games titles, and 14 in total, for the Americans who also secured a Paris quota berth.
Having won the teams' group meeting 24-7, USA made a sluggish start and only led 2-1 at the end of the first quarter. But they went 7-2 in front in the second before Brazil's Rafael Vegara was shown a red card for a flailing arm.
Hannes Daube and Alex Bowen both scored five times in a dominant display from the perennial favourites.
Argentina defeated Canada 12-10 to take the bronze medal.
Results from Pan American Games 2023 water polo finals
Women's
- Classification 7th-8th: Puerto Rico 18-13 Chile
- Classification 5th-6th: Mexico 15-11 Cuba
- Bronze Medal Match: Argentina 9-10 Brazil
- Gold Medal Match: USA 20-11 Canada - The U.S. earn a Paris 2024 Olympic quota spot.
Men's
- Classification 7th-8th: Cuba 12-11 Chile (Cuba win 5-4 in penalty shoot-out after match finished 7-7)
- Classification 5th-6th: Mexico 9-13 Puerto Rico
- Bronze Medal Match: Canada 10-12 Argentina
- Gold Medal Match: Brazil 7-17 USA - The U.S. earn a Paris 2024 Olympic quota spot.