In 2014 Pan American Championship, Brazil comes out on top!

Yane Marques confirmed her great level by becoming the 2014 Pan American Champion in a very deep field of 42 athletes from 16 nations. Yane had stiff competition from Melanie McCann of Canada as they battled each other all day long. Melanie won the fencing with 280 points; she was followed by Yane with 270 points.

The swim was won by Yane Marques with a time of 2:14:39 and 297 points. They both rode well with nearly perfect rounds. The Brazilian athlete began the combined event with a 24 second head start and was able to hold on to the championship with a total of 1357 points and Melanie McCann finished only 5 points back at 1352.

Tamara Vega of Mexico, who was the top athlete in the combined event with 13.02, came from behind to pass Canadian veteran Donna Vakalis to take the bronze medal with 1334 points. Vega also had an outstanding ride with 297 points. Vakalis, who at 34 is making a solid comeback, managed to hold on to fourth place with a score of 1309 points.

Laura Leydi Moya of Cuba was fifth with 1298 points, Margaux Isaksen of the USA finished sixth with 1293 points, Pamela Zapata of Argentina was seventh with 1282 points and Thelma Martínez from Mexico edged out Larissa Lellys of Brazil in the final sprint to take the eighth spot.

The horses for the equestrian event were provided by the Mexican army and they proved to be of exceptional quality as most of the top pentathletes scored over 290 points despite having to ride under a light rain.

The nations were looking to secure a second spot for the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games based on the result of their second athlete. The order in which these places will be assigned is as follows: 1) Canada, 2) Mexico, 3) Brazil, 4) USA, 5) Argentina, 6) Guatemala, 7) Chile and 8) Cuba.

The competition continued on saturday with the men’s event at the Mexican Olympic Training Center in Mexico City.