CALI, Columbia – Loyola University Maryland's Lily Mead and Joe Hayburn both won gold medals at the 2024 FISU America Games, helping the United States' contingent sit in second place after the first day of the international competition.
 
Loyola Head Coach Brian Loeffler led an American delegation of Patriot League swimmers to the event in Cali, Columbia, with competitors from nations throughout North and South America.
 
Hayburn and Mead took first in their respective 100-meter backstroke events on Tuedsay. Mead swam 1:05.11 for the win in the women's race, while Hayburn clocked a time of 55.12 in the men's to win that race by almost four seconds.
 
Mead also earned a bronze with a third-place finish in the women's 50-meter breaststroke, finishing in 33.02 seconds.
 
Three other Greyhounds also raced in individual events on Tuesday with two picking up medals.
 
Patrick Hayburn and Cameron Shinnick went second and third in the 100-meter butterfly for the men, touching the wall in 55.24 and 55.60 seconds.
 
Harry Hearn finished fifth on the men's side in the 200-meter freestyle.
 
The American team also had two Loyola swimmers on the Mixed 4x100-meter freestyle relay that earned a silver medal.
 
American University's Mimi Watts led off, followed by Patrick Hayburn and Colgate University's Lucy Art. Loyola's Caleb Kelly swam the final leg of the race and the quartet finished in 3:40.93.