TOKYO – Loyola University Maryland alumna McKenzie Coan '18 charged over the final 150 meters to take the lead and hold off Italy's Giulia Terzi to win her second-straight Paralympic gold medal in the Women's 400-meter freestyle (S7 classification).
 
Coan, who also won gold during the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, finished with a time of 5:05.84, less than a half-second in front of Terzi.
 
Terzi took an early lead in the race while Coan was in second. The former touched the wall in 3:10.00 at the 250-meter mark only to be taken over by Coan at the next turn.
 
Coan held a scant three-hundredths of a second lead at 300 meters, setting up the thrilling finish. She extended her advantage to over eight-tenths of a second during the penultimate 50 meters; Terzi had one last push, closing the gap slightly, but ultimately not enough during the final 50.
 
She will race for gold again in the 100-meter backstroke final on Monday at 4:07 a.m. (EDT); current Loyola swimmer McClain Hermes swims in the 200-meter individual medley (S11 classification) on Monday at 9:16 p.m.