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Swimmers leading US medal surge in Rio

US swimmers won three more gold medals, US player Eva Lee won two more badminton titles to claim a trio and Brazilian Thiago Pereira won a third gold in the pool in highlights of the Pan American Games on Thursday.

But in a heartbreaker for Brazil, the Cuban women's volleyball team saved two match points in the tiebreaker to beat Brazil 25-27, 25-22, 22-25, 34-32, 17-15 and win its first Pan American Games gold since 1995. Favored Brazil had won the last three Grands Prix and reached Thursday's match without losing a set.

On a day of threes, Julia Smit led a US surge with a victory in the 100 backstroke, while Michelle McKeehan took the 100 breaststroke. Smit also anchored the US women's to the 400 freestyle relay crown, beating Brazil by less than a second.

As the crowd chanted "Thiago, Thiago," Pereira won the 200 backstroke in 1 minute, 45.42 seconds, breaking the Pan Am Games record by .35 seconds set in Wednesday's semi-finals by the US' Scott Clary. Clary took silver and Brazil's Lucas Salatta won bronze.

Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Lee followed her women's badminton doubles title on Wednesday, with a victory over Canada's Charmaine Reed for the singles crown, then combined with Howard Bach to win the mixed doubles.

"My heart feels like it's going to explode," said Lee, who dedicated the medal to her parents. "They said they'd get me a present me if I won three gold medals, so I feel like my mission is accomplished."

Pereira already had won the 400 individual medley -- also in Pan Ams record time -- and the 800 freestyle relay. The 21-year-old has set a personal goal of seven gold medals at the games.

"When I leave the podium, I'm already thinking about the next events," he said. "I'm really focused and giving my best in every one. So far there have been three events, three medals and three records. I'm very happy."

The victories gave the US eight gold medals and 18 overall, just ahead of Brazil with six gold and 13 overall.

"There's nothing we can do," shrugged Colombian swimmer Carolina Colorado Henao. "They are the powers that live and train for swimming in the best sites."

US shooters also added to the US medal count. Jason Parker won the 50-meter rifle three-position event for one of two golds and four overall on the day that gave the US 18 in the sport.

Rain flooded the baseball venue and postponed the final between the US and Cuba. The delay could cost the US a chance at the gold. The game was rescheduled for 10am yesterday, but the US players were scheduled to return to the US yesterday evening for a series of friendly games against China, and if field conditions don't improve, they may have to forfeit.

Mexico and Nicaragua shared the bronze medal, because organizers said the field was unfit for the third-place game and the Mexican team had to return home.

The Mexican women's gymnastics team was disqualified and stripped of its bronze medal after the Pan American Sports Organization ruled that Marisela Arizmendi Torres, enrolled as a delegation worker, had competed as an athlete.

The organization expelled delegation chief Alejandro Peniche Franco from the games and gave the bronze medal to Canada, which had finished fourth.

Cuba's victory in sprint cycling was protested by Venezuela, who boycotted the medals ceremony and refused to accept its silver after its complained the Cubans made an illegal move during the gold-medal race. It pledged to file a protest with the Pan American Sports Organization.

Colombia beat Argentina for the bronze.

In rowing, the US won the men's eights, building a two-second lead in the first 500m and pulling away. Canada captured the women's quadruple sculls, with the US winning silver. The Canadians also edged out the US for gold in the lightweight men's four.

Cuba beat Argentina in men's quadruple sculls, with the US taking bronze. It was Cuba's fifth rowing gold in the Pan Am Games, the most of any nation. Canada was second with three golds, while the US and Argentina finished with two golds each.

Cuba also won the heavyweight judo gold, with Oscar Braison defeating Brazil's Joao Schlitter. Mexico's Vanessa Zambotti claimed women's heavyweight, leaving Ecuador's Carmen Chala with the silver.
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