The United States won four of the five swimming gold medals up for grabs on the first day of competition in the Pan American Games Aquatic Center.

MEDAL TABLE

U.S. athletes won seven golds on Saturday, 14 medals in total – nine of them in the pool.

Clare Donahue set the ball rolling with victory in the 100 meters butterfly. There were also victories for Charles Houchin in the men's 400 freestyle, Julia Smit in the women's 400 individual medley and the U.S. women's 4x100 freestyle relay team set new Pan Am Games records in both the heats and the evening finals.

The only swimming gold medal the United States failed to win Saturday was in the men's 400 individual medley, won by Thiago Pereira of Brazil.

U.S. swimmers were complimentary about the venue in Guadalajara's Metropolitano park.

"The atmosphere is great, the pool fantastic. I'll be here supporting the U.S. team for the rest of the games," said Houchin.

The other gold medallists for the United States on the opening day were Heather Irmiger in cross country mountain biking, Margaux Isaksen in the modern pentathlon and Julie Zetlin in the individual all-around rhythmic gymnastics.

Zetlin beat out Guadalajara hometown favorite Cinthia Valdez, who made two small errors in her final routine and had to be satisfied with the silver medal.

Canada ended the day with five medals, its sole gold won by Ivett Gonda in the 49-kilogram taekwondo category.

Canadians also won a silver and a bronze in mountain biking and a bronze in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay.

Mexico finished Saturday with five medals: there silvers and two bronzes.