PAN AMERICAN GAMES : Miller Struggles, Still Leads Sweep by U.S. in Gymnastics

Their coach claimed they would outclass the competition. Then the U.S. women gymnasts made him sweat.

In the end, the class of Shannon Miller, Amanda Borden and Amy Chow shined through as the Americans swept the all-around event.

Miller, winner of five medals in the last two world championships, struggled on the balance beam, then won the gold when teammate Chow wobbled on the beam. Borden won the silver and Chow the bronze.

“You just have to block it out and get back up,” Miller said of the slip on the beam. “You can never give up.”

Borden scored a 9.825 on the uneven bars. The Cincinnati native finished second, 0.012 points behind Miller.

*

The United States won four of the five swimming events. Reaching the gold medal stand were Brooke Bennett in the 400 freestyle; the women’s 400 freestyle relay team of Cristina Teuscher, Angel Martino, Alison Fealey and Amy Van Dyken; Barbara Bedford in the women’s 100 backstroke; and Brad Bridgewater in the men’s 200 backstroke.

*

St. John’s University, serving as the U.S. baseball entry, lost its fourth consecutive game, this time 14-4 to Guatemala. . . . Michele Granger pitched a one-hitter as the U.S. women overwhelmed Puerto Rico, 6-0, in softball. . . . Paraguay defeated the U.S. soccer team, 2-0.