U.S. Rolls Along in Pool

Swimming medals are expected from Americans. Team handball medals are not.

The United States got some of both Monday in the Pan American Games at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The swimmers won three of the five races, including a romp in the women’s 800-meter freestyle relay, and collected four silver medals.

Team handball, hardly a mainstream American sport, produced a bronze for the men, who defeated Uruguay, 25-23.

Mark Gangloff set a Pan American record of 1 minute 0.95 seconds in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke. He broke the mark set by Ed Moses four years ago.

“To beat Ed Moses’ record means a lot,” Gangloff said. “He’s been the top American for a long time.”

Courtney Shealy, a 2000 Olympics relay winner, won the women’s 100 freestyle in 55.61.

The relay team of Elizabeth Hill, Colleen Lanne, Carly Piper and Dana Vollmer never was challenged in setting a Pan Am record of 8:05.47.

The U.S. stretched its medals lead with 167 -- 69 gold, 50 silver and 48 bronze. Cuba is next at 110 -- 53-29-28.

In handball, goalie Danny Hennessey swatted away five penalty shots in the Americans’ big victory.

In boxing, American Jason Estrada outclassed Dominican Arthur Otaney, 20-2, at super-heavyweight, and Aaron Garcia of the U.S. beat Carlos Velazquez of Puerto Rico, 59-47, at 160 pounds in a tiebreaker after a 10-10 score.

In the women’s cycling 30-kilometer time trial, American Kim Bruckner finished first, 38 seconds ahead of Clara Hughes of Canada.

American Kristin Armstrong won the bronze medal.

Canada beat the U.S. men’s softball team, 5-1, the first loss for the Americans in the preliminary round.

With a 4-1 record, the Americans will start the playoffs seeded No. 2 behind Canada (5-0).

The U.S. women outlasted Venezuela in a volleyball quarterfinal match, 25-17, 25-20, 36-34.

Two-time Olympian Brian Olson used his signature sumi-gaeshi move to win the Americans’ first gold medal in judo.