Josh Liendo and Ilya Kharun, both representing Canada, showcased outstanding performances at the swimming World Cup event held in Toronto on Friday. Liendo claimed the gold medal in the men’s 100-meter freestyle, while Kharun emerged victorious in the 200m butterfly competition. Toronto’s Liendo set a new Canadian record with a time of 45.30 seconds, surpassing Brent Hayden’s previous record. He outpaced American swimmers Jack Alexy (45.55) and Chris Guiliano (45.71).
Reflecting on his achievement, Liendo expressed his joy by stating, “I was happy to get a good swim and just went out there and had fun. It’s good momentum, the city is doing good right now and it’s just good to be a part of,” to CBC Sports reporter Devin Heroux.
Toronto’s Josh Liendo finishes first in the men’s 100-meter freestyle final with a Canadian record time of 45.30 at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2025 stop in Toronto. On Thursday, Liendo won the 100-meter butterfly with a world record and also captured the 50-meter butterfly title.
In the same event, Kharun triumphed in the 200m butterfly with a winning time of 1 minute 49.71 seconds. The Montreal native dominated the race, leaving behind Alberto Razzetti of Italy (1:51.63) and American Mitchell Schott (1:52.10) in second and third place, respectively.
Sharing his thoughts on his performance, Kharun stated, “I thought I did very well. I took it smooth and kept it smooth the entire way. I thought maybe I could go a bit quicker, but it’s alright. I’ve been tired from all the races. [In the last 25m] I was thinking just get my hand on the wall. I wanted to win, and I got it done. The crowd really pushes us, and I’m just happy to be here. It’s a great opportunity we have [to compete in Toronto]. It’s very nice.”
