Paris Olympics: Ilya Kharun Enjoyed Breakout Performance for Canada with Double Bronze
It had been two Olympics since the Canadian men’s program last won a medal at the Games. Breaking that inertia would take a lot of hard work, the leaders of the program knew. But like the women’s program that had minted medals at a ferocious pace during the men’s interregnum, it might also take just a little luck.
Enter Ilya Kharun, the found money of the Canadian program who helped restore its place in the international pantheon.
Still just 19, Kharun medaled in both butterfly events in Paris, taking home bronze in the 100 and the 200. His journey to the Olympic podium as a Canadian is kismet for the program, the one-time American national age-group record holder falling into the program’s lap and helping it flourish.
Born in Montreal and raised in Las Vegas, the son of Ukrainian Cirque du Soleil acrobats didn’t know he was Canadian until he was named to his first American Junior National Team in 2021 and lacked the requisite passport. Instead, he became a Canadian international, winning two medals at the World Short Course Championships in 2022, setting two World Junior records and finding his way to Arizona State’s NCAA championship team in the fall of 2023.
In Paris, Kharun picked a fine time to have the meet of his life. While all eyes were on the titanic clash of Leon Marchand and Kristof Milak for gold in the men’s 200 fly, Kharun snuck bronze in 1:52.80, a Canadian record and more than a second faster than he had been at the 2023 World Championships.
In the 100 fly, he was again something less than the favorite, with Milak’s quest for revenge in the shorter distance, the home-nation hopes on Maxime Grousset and the presence of reigning bronze medalist Noe Ponti. Yet there was Kharun, in 50.45, forcing his way onto the podium in third, behind Milak and countryman Josh Liendo, who became just the fifth man to ever break 50 seconds.
In sharing the podium, NCAA rivals Liendo and Kharun became the first pair of Canadians to medal in the same event since 1976 (Cheryl Gibson and Becky Smith in the women’s 400 individual medley).
“I think it’s a lot of hard work and dedication,” Kharun said. “Me and Josh a couple days ago spoke about how crazy it would be if me and him both got on the podium. I’m so glad we spoke it into existence. It’s such a great feeling.”
“I told him, ‘You’re close. You’re right on the medal,’” Liendo said. “It’d be cool to get two guys. It’s the first time we’ve ever done that in history, so it’s awesome to see him get on the podium there.”
The medals were the first for a Canadian man in 12 years, since Brent Hayden (bronze in the 100 free), Ryan Cochrane (silver in the 1500) and Richard Weinberger (bronze in the open water) at the London Olympics. Kharun joins an elite list of men to medal in both butterfly events at the same Olympics since 2000: Michael Phelps (four times), Milak (twice) and Chad le Clos in 2012. No Canadian man had medaled in the 100 fly since Bruce Robertson in 1972.
Kharun is a pure technician in butterfly of the level of some of the aforementioned. With the shift toward speed over technique in the 100, being able to capture a medal in the shorter distance resonates as even more special to him.
“This is what I wanted, but I knew in the 100 fly, the competition was so crazy that the top three was just a dream for the 100 fly,” he said. “I’m just so glad I finally got it. I was in disbelief when I touched the wall, and it’s just so great.”
It also may well be just the beginning for a swimmer with three years of college swimming left in an environment where he has clearly thrived.
“I’m really happy that I got this moment,” Kharun said, “and I just can’t wait to keep showing people what I can do.”
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Will he swim for Canada in LA or the US?