Kharun thrills sellout crowd at World Cup as records fall in ‘fast pool’

TORONTO – The 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup series was rich in emotions for Ilya Kharun. It wasn’t bad either for his bank account. On the final night of the three-meet, short-course competition Saturday at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, the Montreal native won the men’s 50-metre butterfly event to capture his second triple crown of the weekend, each worth US$10,000. At the Swimming World Cup — which also included stops in Carmel, Ind., and Westmont, Ill., earlier this month — athletes earned a triple crown for winning the same event at all three meets. The 20-year-old also secured fifth place in the Toronto men’s standings (US$5,500) and fourth in the overall men’s rankings for the complete series (US$15,000), part of his total earnings of US$54,500. Over the course of the three competitions, Kharun collected 12 of Canada’s 25 podium finishes and seven of the country’s 10 wins. In the 50 fly, he thrilled the sellout crowd of 1,800 with a time of 21.80 to edge world record holder Noè Ponti of Switzerland by one hundredth of a second. Canadian teammate Josh Liendo of Toronto was third in a personal best 21.91. “It means a whole lot,” said Kharun. “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.”

Kharun particularly enjoyed going head-to-head with Liendo in front of their home fans, who on Saturday saw a remarkable five world records fall at Canada’s so-called fastest pool.

“It always means a lot. I mean, he swam really amazing this week. I think it was just a very, very fun and cool moment,” said the 2024 Olympic bronze medallist in the 100 and 200 fly.

Liendo finished second in the Toronto men’s standings (US$10,000) thanks in large part to a trio of triumphs, including a world record in the 100 fly on opening night.

The 23-year-old finished ninth in the series overall standings and merited US$25,000 in total prize money. “It was great,” said the 100 fly silver medallist from Paris 2024 when asked about the World Cup stop on home turf. “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, who placed the crown on Kharun’s head in the post-race ceremony, also soaked up the friendly rivalry with his national team teammate.

“It was awesome. It was good to be up there with him in the 50 because he’s been a tank in the 50s. I’m getting a little bit closer to him, and good to see him get his hand on that wall.”

Nine other Canadians competed in finals on Saturday.

Two-time Olympian Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., who trains at Montreal’s CAMO club, went back-to-back early in the evening in the women’s 800 freestyle (PB 8:15.52) and 100 fly (57.30), placing fourth and sixth.

Also finishing just off the podium in fourth position were Calgary’s Ingrid Wilm in the women’s 200 backstroke (2:02.99), Taylor Ruck of Kelowna, B.C., in the women’s 100 free (PB 51.69), Alexanne Lepage of Vernon, B.C. (University of Calgary Swim Club) in the women’s 50 breaststroke (PB 30.00), as well as Finlay Knox in the men’s 100 back (50.02). Sophie Angus from High Performance Centre — Ontario was fifth in the women’s 50 breast (30.12), Madison Kryger of Niagara, Ont. (HPC-Ontario), was sixth in the women’s 200 back (PB 2:03.84), while Blake Tierney of Saskatoon and his HPC-Vancouver teammate Wilm ranked eighth in the men’s 100 back (50.47) and the women’s 100 free (PB 53.37). On the international side, Australians Lani Pallister in the women’s 800 free (7:54.00) and Kaylee McKeown in the women’s 200 back (1:57.33), American Kate Douglass in the women’s 100 free (49.93), Hungary’s Hubert Kos in the men’s 100 back (48.16) and Caspar Corbeau of the Netherlands in the men’s 200 breast (1:59.52) all entered the world short-course record book. All five also completed a triple crown with their wins. Douglass, with 177.5 points, and Kos, with 175.8, cemented their places atop the women’s and men’s overall standings, a feat that comes with US$100,000 in prize money. “I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen tonight. I feel like I put together a really good race last weekend and so I was just hoping to go a little faster, but getting under 50 is pretty awesome,” said the versatile Douglass, who won Olympic gold last summer in the 200 breast.

“A lot more money being on the line has everyone just a little bit more excited to race.” “I’m just super, super happy with how I performed over these three weeks,” said Kos, the reigning Olympic champion in the 200 back. “I love doing these World Cups and really sad it’s come to an end.”

Other international athletes who completed a triple crown with a victory on Day 3 included USA teammates Luke Hobson in the men’s 200 free (1:39.94), Gretchen Walsh in the women’s 100 fly (53.10) and Alex Walsh in the women’s 200 IM (2:04.01).

Other Saturday winners were American Shaine Casas in the men’s 400 IM (3:56.13) and Belgium’s Florine Gaspard in the women’s 50 breast (29.48).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2025.