Canadian swimmer Ilya Kharun claimed his second consecutive gold medal at the World Cup finale in Toronto by winning the men’s 50-meter butterfly final on Saturday. Kharun, hailing from Montreal, secured victory with a time of 21.80 seconds, narrowly beating Switzerland’s Noe Ponti, the current world record holder, by just one one-hundredth of a second. Toronto’s Josh Liendo snagged the bronze medal with a personal best time of 21.91.
Expressing his joy, Kharun stated, “It means a whole lot. I knew it was going to be very close, and I’m just so happy I got it done. I’m speechless. I saw Ponti’s splashes on the second 25, and I knew it was going to come down to me or him, and I was just hoping that I got it. And you know what, I did.”
The 20-year-old swimmer earned $10,000 US for his victory in the 50m butterfly at all three World Cup stops, a feat he also accomplished in the 200m fly. Throughout the World Cup tour, which included previous stops in Carmel, Ind., and Westmont, Ill., Kharun contributed significantly to Canada’s success, securing 12 podium finishes out of the 25 and clinching seven wins out of the country’s 10 victories. These achievements placed him fifth in the Toronto men’s standings and fourth in the overall men’s rankings, resulting in total earnings of $54,500.
Kharun started the Toronto meet with a bronze in the 50m freestyle and later took silver in the 100m butterfly behind Liendo. The competition between Kharun and Liendo, both representing their home country in front of their fans at the Pan Am Sports Centre, provided thrilling moments for spectators at “Canada’s fastest pool.”
Liendo, who achieved three gold medals in Toronto, finished ninth in the overall standings and earned a total of $25,000 in prize money. He broke Ponti’s world record in the 100m butterfly with a time of 47.68 seconds.
Regarding the competition, Liendo said, “It was great. Had to try my best to get some sleep after night one, but it’s been good. I wasn’t expecting it to be like this this week at all. I’m really happy with where I am at, so just go back and get things rolling again for the rest of the season.” Liendo also praised the friendly rivalry with Kharun, highlighting their camaraderie and mutual respect.
In other record-breaking performances, Australia’s Lani Pallister set a new world record in the women’s 800m freestyle, clocking a time of 7:54, surpassing Katie Ledecky’s previous record. Pallister was followed by New Zealanders Erika Fairweather and Caitlin Deans, while Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey finished fourth with a personal best time of 8:15.52.
Apart from Pallister’s achievement, other world records were broken during the competition, including Australia’s Kaylee McKeown in the women’s 200m backstroke, American Kate Douglass in the women’s 100m freestyle, Hungary’s Hubert Kos in the men’s 100m backstroke, and the Netherlands’ Caspar Corbeau in the men’s 200m breaststroke. Several Canadian swimmers narrowly missed podium finishes in various events, including Ingrid Wilm, Finlay Knox, Alexanne Lepage, and Taylor Ruck.
The event witnessed a sellout crowd of 1,800 spectators and showcased a total of five world records being shattered, making it a memorable and historic competition.
