Canadian swimmer Ilya Kharun secured his second consecutive gold medal at the World Cup finale in Toronto by triumphing in the men’s 50-meter butterfly final on Saturday. Kharun, hailing from Montreal, clinched the victory with a time of 21.80 seconds, narrowly defeating Switzerland’s Noe Ponti, who holds the short-course world record, by just one one-hundredth of a second. Toronto’s Josh Liendo followed closely behind to claim the bronze medal with a personal best time of 21.91.
Expressing his joy, 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, a feat he also achieved in the 200m butterfly category. Kharun contributed significantly to Canada’s success on the World Cup tour, securing 12 podium finishes out of the country’s 25 and claiming seven of the 10 wins. This tour included previous stops in Carmel, Ind., and Westmont, Ill., earlier in the month. Kharun finished fifth in the Toronto men’s standings and fourth in the overall men’s rankings, accumulating a total earning of $54,500.
At the Toronto meet, Kharun initially secured bronze in the 50m freestyle event before claiming silver in the 100m butterfly, where he was surpassed by Liendo. The competition between Kharun and Liendo, both national team teammates, was particularly enjoyable for Kharun, who described it as a fun and cool moment.
Liendo, who achieved three gold medals during the Toronto event, finished ninth in the overall standings and earned a total prize money of $25,000. The 23-year-old swimmer broke Ponti’s world record in the 100m butterfly with a remarkable time of 47.68. Reflecting on his performance, Liendo expressed his happiness with his achievements and his determination to continue excelling in the upcoming season.
The friendly rivalry between Kharun and Liendo was evident, with Liendo even placing the crown on Kharun’s head during the post-race ceremony. The camaraderie and competition between the two swimmers were appreciated by both athletes and added to the excitement of the event.
