Team USA Win Double Team Gold at Pan Am Championships

For the first time in program history, Team USA earned both team gold medals at the senior Pan American Championships, August 21-27, in Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil.

In addition to two team gold medals, Laila Sedky earned gold in the women’s parallel draw, while Nick Spizzirri and Caroline Fouts took home Mixed Doubles silver as an unseeded pairing. In addition to earning a gold medal, Team USA’s Salim Khan was recognized with the men’s Sportsmanship Award.

The team competitions saw the U.S. women enter the draw as two seeds and the U.S. men as 3/4 seeds.

The U.S. women progressed to the final without dropping a match, where they met top seeds Mexico. Harvard sophomore Caroline Fouts and Stanford sophomore Riya Navani earned two wins for the U.S. to clinch the gold medal 2-1.

The U.S. men progressed to the semifinals where they upset top seeds Mexico with a win from Dillon Huang and a walkover match. Peru’s world champion Diego Elias awaited the U.S. in the final and earned the first point for the two seeds, but the U.S. fought back with an equalizing win from Dillon Huang. Nick Spizzirri stepped up to clinch the gold in the final decisive match.

“Our players showcased the depth, talent, and fighting spirit that defines US Squash,” said Nick Taylor, the Ganek Family US Squash Head National Coach. “They produced big wins under pressure to beat some of the best players and teams in the world! Every single team member stepped up when it mattered most. What made this special was unmatched team chemistry and support, breakthrough performances from rising stars, and every match played with heart and determination. This victory isn’t just about this week, it’s about the future of American squash and the pathway we’re building for the next generation of champions.”

Pan American competition will ramp up in the coming years with the 2026 Pan American Championships set to determine qualification for the quadrennial Pan American Games in 2027.