SANTIAGO, Chile – Ashley Twichell (Fayetteville, N.Y./TAC Titans) and Brennan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev./University of Florida) topped the women’s and men’s podiums today, winning gold in 10-kilometer open water swimming in Laguna Los Morros at the 2023 Pan American Games in San Bernardo, Chile. 

Twichell, 34, touched the wall 13 seconds before 2020 Olympic champion and defending Pan American Games champion Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil for the win in 1:57:16.4. Twichell’s victory marks her first international gold in a 10k competition as well as her first Pan American Games as an open water swimmer. She won silver in the women’s 800m freestyle 12 years ago at the 2011 Pan American Games.  

Gravley, 23, claimed his first international gold medal in his Pan American Games debut in a tight race, with all podium finishers separated by less than a second. His brother, Dylan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev./Sun Devil Swimming), finished just off the podium in fourth, 3.4 seconds back.  

These wins are the third gold medals won by the United States in both the women’s and men’s 10k open water competition in Pan American Games history. Overall, U.S. swimmers won 48 medals (21g, 17s, 10b) in the pool and open water at the 2023 Pan American Games. 

Women’s 10k 
1 – Ashley Twichell (Fayetteville, N.Y. /TAC Titans), 1:57:16.4 
5 – Leah DeGeorge (Jacksonville, Fla./University of Florida), 1:58.54.7 

Twichell on her performance: “It felt good. It was pretty relaxed the first 5k, which was really nice, especially with it being a small field, and then I noticed people were trying to catch back up to us to try and push us a bit on the sixth and seventh lap.” 

Twichell on not having anyone on her feet after the first two laps: “I felt the push, then kind of fall back, then push, kind of fall back. I should have just decided earlier [what to do]. It’s so hard in a 10k, you don’t know how much you’re going to have. I try not to look behind me too much, but I did feel like for a little bit there was a bit of a gap.” 

Twichell on coming back to the Pan American Games 12 years later: “It’s really fun. I feel like it’s more of a relaxed and fun vibe so it’s cool to be with all of the other sports and sports that I’ve never seen so it’s fun to meet those athletes and a great event.” 

Twichell on coming back to competition after having a baby: “I feel like I have a different perspective. I feel like I’m trying to enjoy every race, especially ones like this where I’m away from my son, I want to make the most of it so just really trying to have fun, see where it goes, and taking it day by day.” 

Men’s 10k 
1 – Brennan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev./University of Florida), 1:50:23.4 
4 – Dylan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev./Sun Devil Swimming), 1:50:26.8 

Brennan Gravley on his performance: “It was pretty challenging. I’m still adjusting to feeling comfortable in the wet suit and trying to get a feel for my stroke. It was a little violent down the stretch with the Argentinian guys, but I had some fun racing them and they were good sports after.” 

Brennan Gravley on his first Pan American Games: “The experience has been super cool…Spending time with my brother is really special. Being able to do it with him doing something I love is really, really rare and I don’t think a lot of people will have an opportunity to do something like that, especially with all of the years we’ve done it together; to travel and see the world together, it’s priceless. I love it.”  

Learn more about Team USA’s overall performance at the Pan American Games by visiting the Team USA website.  

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