Canadian swimmer Ilya Kharun clinched his second consecutive gold medal at the World Cup finale in Toronto by triumphing in the men’s 50-meter butterfly final on Saturday. The Montreal native, who had already secured victory in the 200m butterfly the day before, clocked an impressive time of 21.80 seconds to narrowly beat Switzerland’s Noe Ponti, the current short-course world record holder, by a mere one one-hundredth of a second. Toronto’s Josh Liendo closely followed, claiming the bronze with a personal best time of 21.91.
Expressing his elation, Kharun stated, “It means a whole lot. You know, I knew it was going to be very close and I’m just so happy I got it done. I’m just 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 event at all three World Cup stops, replicating his success in the 200m fly.
Over the course of the World Cup tour, which included stops in Carmel, Ind., and Westmont, Ill., Kharun accumulated 12 podium finishes out of Canada’s 25 and secured seven out of the country’s 10 wins. His remarkable performances 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 kicked off the Toronto meet with a bronze in the 50m freestyle before claiming silver in the 100m butterfly later that day.
The Canadian swimmer particularly relished the opportunity to compete against Liendo in front of their home crowd at the Pan Am Sports Centre, also known as “Canada’s fastest pool.” Reflecting on the experience, Kharun, a bronze medallist in the 100 and 200 fly at the 2024 Olympics, described it as “a very, very fun and cool moment.”
Liendo, who secured three gold medals in Toronto, finished ninth in the overall standings and garnered a total prize money of $25,000. The 23-year-old swimmer made a notable achievement by breaking Ponti’s world record in the 100m butterfly with a time of 47.68.
The friendly rivalry between Kharun and Liendo was evident as Liendo placed the crown on Kharun’s head during the post-race ceremony, highlighting their mutual respect and camaraderie. Liendo expressed his satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I’m really happy with where I am at, so just go back and get things rolling again for the rest of the season.”
In other remarkable feats of the evening, Australia’s Lani Pallister set a new world record in the women’s 800m freestyle, clocking a time of 7:54.00, surpassing Katie Ledecky’s previous record. The event witnessed five world records being shattered, with impressive performances from various swimmers including Kaylee McKeown, Kate Douglass, Hubert Kos, and Caspar Corbeau.
Additionally, Canadian swimmers like Ingrid Wilm, Finlay Knox, Alexanne Lepage, and Taylor Ruck displayed commendable performances, finishing just shy of the podium spots in their respective events. The evening concluded with a display of exceptional talent and record-breaking achievements, captivating the sellout crowd of 1,800 spectators.