Ilya Kharun swims to new Canadian record in win at Tyr Pro Meet
Ilya Kharun made headlines at the Tyr Pro Meet in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., setting a new Canadian record in the men’s 50m butterfly final. The 19-year-old Montreal swimmer touched the wall in an impressive 23.09 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 23.25 held by Finlay Knox.
Not only did Kharun break the Canadian record, but he also set a new Pro Series Swim record, beating Matt Targett’s time of 23.11 set in 2012. Kharun’s stellar performance comes on the heels of his Olympic success in Paris 2024, where he secured bronze medals in the 100m and 200m butterfly events.
Meanwhile, fellow Canadian Summer McIntosh put on a strong showing in the women’s 200m backstroke final. The Toronto swimmer finished in second place with a time of 2:06.82, just 0.01 off her personal best set in 2023. McIntosh was narrowly beaten by Regan Smith, the world-record holder in the 100m backstroke.
As the action continues at the meet, McIntosh is gearing up to compete in the 200m breaststroke and the 100m butterfly events. In other Canadian results from Fort Lauderdale, Shona Branton and Sophie Angus finished sixth and eighth, respectively, in the women’s 50m breaststroke. Penny Oleksiak, another Toronto native, placed sixth in the women’s 50m butterfly final.
The meet in Fort Lauderdale has been full of thrilling performances and record-breaking swims, showcasing the incredible talent of Canadian swimmers on the international stage. Stay tuned for more updates as the competition heats up in the final day of action.
