Grenada’s Peters one of two Mississippi State stars to win titles, along with Arop for Canada in men’s 800 meters; Americans add four more golds from Berry, Craddock, Nilsen and women’s 4x400 relay, lifting overall medal total to 33, but U.S. men’s 4x400 still winless since 1987

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The United States capped the final day of track and field competition at the 18th Pan American Games with four gold medals, exceeding its total of three from the previous four days combined in Lima, Peru.

But the biggest star Saturday at Athletic Stadium was Mississippi State sophomore Anderson Peters, who continued to build momentum toward challenging for a medal in the men’s javelin throw in October at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Peters, representing Grenada, produced a personal-best throw of 286 feet, 5 inches (87.31m) on his opening attempt, surpassing the 2011 meet record of 286-1 (87.20m) held by Cuba’s Guillermo Martinez to secure the first medal of any kind in the event for his country in meet history.

Peters, the two-time NCAA Division 1 champion, elevated to the No. 5 performer in the world this year and is now just outside the top 50 all-time in event history.

Peters also remained unbeaten in eight competitions this year, with 2015 winner Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago taking silver with a first-round throw of 274-1 (83.55m) and Albert Reynolds of Saint Lucia moving into third with a final-round effort of 269-8 (82.19m).

Only three athletes – Texas’ Patrick Boden, Texas A&M’s Ioannis Kyriazis and UTEP’s Matt Narhi – have thrown further at any point in their collegiate careers than Peters, who improved from his June 5 winning mark of 284-2 (86.62m) at the Division 1 final in Austin, Texas.

The Americans did their best work in the field events as well Saturday, with another reigning NCAA Division 1 champion, Chris Nilsen of South Dakota, capturing gold in the men’s pole vault.

Nilsen cleared 18-10.75 (5.76m) on his third attempt to prevail against Brazil’s Augusto Dutra de Oliveira, who achieved a 18-8.75 (5.71m) clearance on his second try.

It marked the first title in the event for the U.S. since former Stanford All-American and current Washington assistant coach Toby Stevenson captured the championship in 2003. The Americans had won 13 of the first 14 men’s pole vault gold medals, but weren’t able to win another in the past three editions of the meet.

Sam Houston State sophomore Clayton Fritsch, who placed third at the NCAA final and won gold July 6 at the NACAC U-23 Championships in Mexico, earned bronze Saturday for the U.S. by clearing 18-4.75 (5.61m).

Gwen Berry and Brooke Andersen made history for the Americans in the women’s hammer throw, producing the country’s first sweep of the top two spots in meet history and the first by any nation since Cuba in 2007.

Berry won the first gold medal for the U.S. in the event since Dawn Ellerbe in 1999, punctuating her title with a sixth-round effort of 244-9 (74.62m). Andersen’s first-round throw of 233-2 (71.07m) held up for silver, with Venezuela’s Rosa Andreina Rodriguez earning bronze with a second-round mark of 227-11 (69.48m).

Omar Craddock rallied in the fifth round to win the men’s triple jump with a leap of 57-2 (17.42m), securing the first title for the U.S. in the event since Mike Conley in 1987 and the fourth in meet history.

Jordan Diaz took second with a fourth-round jump of 57-0.25 (17.38m) and fellow Cuban Andy Diaz placed third with a second-round effort of 55-2.75 (16.83m).

The Americans secured their seventh overall gold medal at the meet by repeating in the women’s 4x400-meter relay in 3:26.46.

Lynna Irby, Jaide Stepter, Anna Cockrell and Courtney Okolo helped the U.S. win its eighth title in the event overall, edging Canada (3:27.01) and Jamaica (3:27.61).

The pursuit of an American sweep of both 4x400 relay championships was upstaged by Colombia, which had never earned a medal of any kind in the event in meet history before Saturday.

Colombia clocked 3:01.41 to hold off the U.S. (3:01.71) and defending champion Trinidad and Tobago (3:02.25). The Americans haven’t won the men’s 4x400 at the Pan Am Games since 1987.

Entering the men’s and women’s 50-kilometer racewalks Sunday, the Americans lead all countries with seven golds and 33 overall track and field medals.

After not advancing to the NCAA Division 1 semifinals in the men’s 800, Mississippi State sophomore Marco Arop rebounded to win the gold medal Saturday for Canada in a personal-best 1:44.25, elevating to the No. 11 performer in the world this year.

Arop, who placed 15th in the East Regional quarterfinals May 24 in 1:50.59, got back on track July 27 by placing second at the Canadian Outdoor Championships in 1:46.93.

Arop and runner-up Wesley Vazquez of Puerto Rico (1:44.48) both ran faster than the 2007 meet record of 1:44.58 established by Cuba’s Yeimer Lopez. It marked the first title in the event for Canada since Achraf Tadili in 2003 and the country’s third gold medal in meet history.

Vazquez and third-place finisher Ryan Sanchez (1:45.19) earned the first two medals of any kind for Puerto Rico in the event. NCAA indoor and outdoor champion Bryce Hoppel, who recently decided to forgo his remaining eligibility at Kansas to pursue a professional career, finished fourth for the U.S. in 1:47.48.

Genevieve Lalonde added another victory for Canada in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in a meet-record 9:41.45. Lalonde, who placed third in 2015, lowered the winning mark of 9:48.12 from four years ago by American Ashley Higginson.

Marisa Howard placed second for the U.S. in 9:43.78 and Argentina’s Belen Casetta finished third in 9:44.46.

Shane Brathwaite also finished third in 2015 in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, but captured the title Saturday in a wind-legal 13.31 seconds, edging American Freddie Crittenden III (13.32) to secure the first gold medal in the event in meet history for Barbados.

Brazil’s Eduardo Santos Rodrigues earned bronze in 13.48.

Altobeli Santos Da Silva added another gold for Brazil in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase, clocking 8:30.73 to capture his country’s first title in the event since 1995 and its fourth overall.

Colombia’s Carlos Andres San Martin grabbed silver in 8:32.24, just ahead of Peru’s Mario Bazan (8:32.34).