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Mike Gennaro (right) was a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. pair Tuesday at the 2011 Pan Am Games.
Photo by: USRowing
Gennaro Wins Pan Am Games Gold
10/18/2011 1:14:36 PM | Men's Rowing
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse men's rowing alum Mike Gennaro '11 spent four years in Orange. Now there's another color that suits him – gold. The Team USA duo of Gennaro and Ty Otto captured the gold medal in the men's pair on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guzman City, Mexico.
Gennaro and Otto clocked a winning time of 6:47.07 in the final to hold off silver medalist Brazil (6:48.74). Canada was third with a time of 6:50.80.
The Americans led the entire race, posting a time of 1:37.62 in the first 500 meters to gain a one-second advantage over Brazil's Joao Borges and Alexis Mestre. Gennaro and Otto lengthened their lead to nearly four seconds at the halfway point and successfully fought off the charging Brazilians over the final 1,000 meters.
The gold medal was Gennaro's second in international competition. He also won gold in the eight at the 2011 U-23 World Rowing Championship.
A native of Havertown, Pa., Gennaro completed a standout career for the Orange last spring. During his time on campus, he helped the SU varsity eight to sixth-place, eighth-place and ninth-place showings at the IRA Regatta.
Racing at the 16th Pan Am Games concludes Wednesday on Lake Zapotlan. Gennaro will go for gold again as the stroke of the U.S. eight. In the men's lighweight four, the United States, which features Orange alum Josh Gautreau '06, competes against Venezuela and Guatemala in the second-level final.
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