It's one of the biggest international competitions and showcases some of the best up-and-coming athletes in the world. But after their medal performances at the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, the first thing Michigan swimmers Matt Patton and Scott Spann talked about wasn't their personal record times or their Olympic chances.

It was the Brazilian fans.

"They did not like the U.S. team at all," Patton said. "(During the 400-meter freestyle,) they booed me and the guy that got second (U.S. teammate Tobias Work) when we finished. They were in love with the Brazilian team."

Said Spann: "They had thousands of people in the stands. They were really animated and always dancing. If their athlete finished first or eighth, they would cheer just as loud as if they had broken a world record."

Despite swimming thousands of miles from their home fans and familiar training grounds, Spann, who will be a sophomore this year, and Patton, a junior-to-be, proved they can compete on an international level and improved their chances of swimming Olympic qualifying times next summer. Patton swam to a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle and Spann notched a bronze 200-meter breast stroke for Team USA.

The weeklong Pan-American Games are always held the year before the Summer Olympics, and U.S. athletes can qualify for the meet by finishing in the top six at the previous summer's national championships.

On the third day of competition, Patton won the 400-meter freestyle in a Pan-American record time of 3:49.77 and finished almost seven seconds faster than his 2007 collegiate season personal best.

"My goal was to break 3:50 in August and to win," Patton said. "I was very happy to come through and be able to do that in such a tense situation."

Three days later, Spann earned a bronze medal in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:13.98), finishing just .15 seconds out of second place and .5 shy of the gold. With the third-place finish, Spann became the third Pan-American medalist in his immediate family, following his father Scott's bronze medal in 1979 and his sister Alexandra's gold medal in 2003.

Incoming freshman Tyler Clary finished second in the 200-meter backstroke July 19.

To make the 2008 Olympic team, athletes must place in the top two in an event at the Olympic Trials next summer. Patton said that his best shots at an Olympic team spot are in the 1,500-meter freestyle or 800-meter freestyle relay, neither of which he swam at the Pan-American Games.

Spann was confident when talking about his Olympic chances and said that he now has the fourth-fastest 200-meter breaststroke time in the country.

"Statistically, the 200 is my best shot," he said. "But with the way I've been training and my speed, I think the 100 will be right up there by next year."