Team USA Junior National Team Shines with Silver at 2025 Pan American Games

Team USA’s Junior National Team made a strong statement at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games, earning the overall Silver Medal in the Pan-America rankings across all five events. Facing some of the toughest competitors in the region, the U.S. squad displayed remarkable precision, athleticism, and the teamwork that defines the next generation of American artistic swimmers.

These performances not only underscore the talent and dedication of this year’s Junior National Team but also point to a bright future for U.S. Artistic Swimming. With most athletes still eligible for future Junior events—and several already advancing to the Senior National Team—the results in Asunción mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Team USA.

As Artistic Swimming competitions began on Wednesday, August 20, the atmosphere in Asunción was already buzzing. Multiple sporting events across venues created an inspiring and motivating environment for the team right from the start.

Head Coach Megan Abarca reflected on the significance of the moment. “It is such an exciting experience to be here in Asuncion surrounded by other disciplines within Team USA, and I think it is so special for our younger athletes to experience that positivity, unity and pride in representing our country. I knew that training would be short and intense, but I was most excited to see what this group could accomplish together in such a short amount of time.”

Abarca emphasized that the ultimate goal was for the athletes to deliver their strongest performances and feel proud of their swims. Acknowledging the strength of their competitors, she shared that the focus remained on executing their plan to the best of their ability. While strong results are always a goal for National Team coaches, she highlighted the importance of inspiring the team to stay present, engaged, and confident in pushing both their physical and mental limits.

The competition opened with the Duet Technical event featuring Anamaria Camero and Hyeonseo Ryou, who placed 3rd with a total score of 255.0717, just behind Canada and Mexico. Both athletes admitted to feeling nervous walking out on stage but quickly found their element.

“I immediately felt the adrenaline and the energy of the crowd, and that just made me want to give it my all,” Ryou shared. Camero added, “We both quickly switched our nervous mindset into excitement. As we dove in and the music started playing, I felt everything else fade away.”

Coach Abarca was proud of their effort. “Being that Duet Tech was the first event of the competition, I knew it would be an exciting moment to set the tone for the rest of the competition. Despite coming from the same club, AnaMaria and Hannah have not competed in a duet before. I am so proud of how they’ve worked to prepare for this competition given that we were balancing both duet programs with the three team programs.”

Assistant Coach Marivi Escalona echoed the praise. “AnaMaria and Hannah had a very strong start to the competition. The first event of the competition is never easy, and these are two athletes that 1. Have never swam together and 2. Have never represented our country in this event before. I was really satisfied and proud of them, their performance and what they accomplished in four and a half weeks together.”

That evening, Team USA competed in the Team Technical event, finishing 2nd with a total score of 237.0475. Dempsey Raftus reflected on the team’s mindset. “It was our first team event of the competition and our first time swimming with this group of athletes, I think we all just wanted to go out there and give a strong first impression. We all knew we were going to have to push ourselves physically and mentally, but we had full trust in our preparation and training before walking out there with the pride and confidence of getting to represent Team USA.”

Escalona expressed her excitement for the result while noting the team’s potential. “The second place in the team routine is a solid start to the team competition but I, and the coaches know, that this team has a lot more in them to show for the next two routines. As always, we strive to be the best team we can be and on the top of the podium, so being able to be in a solid second place after day one with a lot more in the tank is exciting. I am excited to see this team rising to the occasion and putting on a fight for the free team.”

As the team prepared for the next days, the coaching staff emphasized staying present, keeping energy focused within the group, and trusting one another to deliver their best performances.

The next day began with Camero and Ryou in the Duet Free event, where they finished 2nd again with a score of 234.8670, once more behind Mexico. Ryou reflected, “I was proud of our strong, clean finish, given the circumstances of the time allotted to create the routine.”

That evening, the Team Free routine earned Team USA another 2nd place, scoring 274.0180. With consistent podium finishes, the Americans entered the final day of competition in overall Silver Medal position.

On August 23, the team closed with the Acrobatic Routine, which Raftus described as their best of the season. After a clean, dynamic performance, Team USA secured yet another 2nd place with a score of 161.5001, clinching the overall Silver Medal.

Coach Abarca shared her pride in the team’s journey, “I’m immensely proud of this group. They knew that they would have some tough competitors to compete against in Asuncion, yet they kept their focus on improving their mental approach as well as individual execution. We worked hard to create the most cohesive product possible in our short summer training together. I think this shows an incredible amount of potential given that eight of the nine athletes are eligible to compete in the Junior division again in the future. Additionally, three of the nine athletes qualified for the Senior National Team and two will begin full-time training in the fall. With such a young team, I think the possibilities are endless! I’m excited to see how these athletes will impact USA Artistic Swimming’s National Team program, and I know they have bright futures ahead of them!”

For the athletes, the silver medal was more than just a podium finish. They expressed pride in representing Team USA and gratitude for the chance to showcase the best versions of each routine. For many, it was their first experience on a National Team and their first time competing internationally, making the achievement even more meaningful. They highlighted the trust they placed in one another, their coaches, and their training—and walked away thrilled with the results.