Sophie Verzyl Wins Second Gold at Junior Pan American Games

Sophie Verzyl won gold for the second day in a row after finishing first in the women’s 3-meter final on Tuesday, the last day of diving at the Junior Pan American Games in Asuncion, Paraguay.

The U.S. women won gold in all three individual events. In addition to Tuesday’s 3-meter gold, Verzyl won gold on 1-meter on Monday. ElliReese Niday won the individual 10-meter gold medal on Sunday. The two divers automatically qualified for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru with their wins.

Verzyl scored 322.85 points to edge Mexico’s Mia Cueva by 3.40 points for gold on 3-meter. Cueva led by 2.20 points heading into the final round, but Verzyl had an edge in difficulty. Verzyl ended her list with a front 2 ½ with two twists, while Cueva was set to do a front 2 ½ with one twist, giving Verzyl a four-tenths advantage in degree of difficulty. Verzyl came through with 73.10 points to Cueva’s 67.50 to overtake her in the final round. Verzyl also scored 61.50 points or higher on three of her four other dives.

Mexico’s Lia Cueva took the bronze with 292.95 points, and USA’s Anna Kwong scored 241.35 points for fifth. Verzyl and Kwong paired for a silver in synchronized 3-meter on Saturday.

Niday also earned another medal on Tuesday as she and Hannah McLaughlin won bronze in women’s synchronized 10-meter. The duo scored 249.63 in their first synchro competition together. McLaughlin took silver behind Niday in the individual 10-meter competition. Canada’s Kate Miller and Katelyn Fung won the synchro gold with 289.05 points, while Mexico’s Maria Sanchez and Suri Cueva scored 279.48 points for bronze.

Luke Hernandez led the U.S. men with a fourth-place finish in the 3-meter final. Hernandez scored 388.35 points. Collier Dyer placed fifth at 381.65. Mexico took gold and silver, with David Vasquez leading the field at 417.65 and Jesus Agundez taking second with 414.50 points. Canadian Carson Paul claimed the bronze with 403.75 points.   

Andrew Bennett and Grant Cates paired up in men's synchronized 10-meter and finished fifth with 306.72 points. Canada’s Benjamin Tessier and Matt Cullen won gold at 413.46, and Mexico’s Kenny Zamudio and Emilio Trevino were second with 380.01 points. The Cuban team of Bernaldo Arias and Carlos Ramos scored 350.07 for bronze.

In all, U.S. divers won seven medals – three gold, two silver and two bronze at the Junior Pan American Games.