Ilya Kharun: Canada’s Splashing Sensation Crowned Male Swimmer of the Year!

Discover all of our 2024 Swammy Awards here.

Ilya Kharun elevated his international journey in 2024, securing his first long-course senior international medals and affirming his position as a competitor from the 50 to 200 butterfly on the worldwide platform.

Following a triumphant freshman season at Arizona State, where he clinched the NCAA title in the 200 butterfly and assisted the Sun Devils towards the program’s inaugural NCAA title, Kharun directed his focus to long-course and the Olympic summer. While Kharun had previously represented Canada on the international front, Paris was his Olympic debut, and he aimed to improve from his fourth-place finish in the 200 butterfly and ninth in the same event at the 2023 World Championships.

The men’s 200 butterfly was promoted as a contest between Kristof Milak, the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion, and Leon Marchand, the 2023 world champion and crowd favorite. The final in Paris did not disappoint, with Kharun remaining composed in his initial Olympic final. He was in third for the entire race, steadily widening his lead for the final podium position through the latter half of the race.

Kharun was among three men who split under 30 seconds on the final 50 meters, utilizing that closing speed to secure the bronze and his first medal at a long-course senior international event on the sport’s grandest stage. Not only was this Kharun’s first significant medal, but it also marked the first Olympic medal achieved by a Canadian man since 2012. He recorded a time of 1:52.80, finishing third in a Canadian record-setting performance and becoming the seventh-fastest competitor in history.

The third place on the men’s 200 butterfly podium seemed readily accessible leading into the competition. Conversely, the situation was vastly different in the 100 butterfly—the top swimmers had been sending out warnings all year long, with six of the eight fastest performances in history listed for the Paris entries. Kharun entered as the 13th seed and successfully navigated a tough semifinal round to reach the final, qualifying as the sixth seed.

The young Canadian positioned himself in seventh place during the Olympic final. Nevertheless, he surged in the latter half, splitting 26.72 over the final 50 meters, reaching the wall for bronze by a margin of a tenth. Kharun clocked 50.45, marking his third personal best of the Games as he progressed from 50.71 in prelims to 50.68 in the semifinals and ultimately achieving his bronze-medal standard.

“This is exactly what I wanted,” Kharun told Team Canada, “but I was aware [in] the 100 fly, the competition was incredibly fierce that the top three was merely a dream for the 100 fly. I’m overjoyed that I finally achieved it. I was in shock when I touched the wall, and it feels amazing.”

Like his 200 butterfly medal, his 100 butterfly medal also contributed to Canadian Olympic history. He finished behind his teammate Josh Liendo’s silver-medal performance (49.99), marking Canada’s first double podium at a Summer Games since 1976. Furthermore, no Canadian man had medaled in the 100 butterfly since 1972. Kharun expressed that he and Liendo “discussed how incredible it would be [if] both of us made it onto the podium. I’m thrilled we manifested it. It’s such a wonderful feeling.”

Kharun’s unexpected medals at the Olympics announced that the young athlete had ascended to the next tier in the sport. He further validated this at the 2024 Short Course World Championships in Budapest. The 2022 edition of the meet marked Kharun’s initial representation of Canada, and his achievements in Budapest showcased the substantial progress he has made over the past two years.

His meet peaked with the 200 butterfly—he claimed his first world title by matching Daiya Seto’s championship record 1:48.24, tying him for the second-fastest performance of all time. This swim established Americas, Commonwealth, and Canadian records as he contributed to Canada sweeping the 200 butterfly in Budapest (Summer McIntosh claimed the women’s race just a moment before). Finally, Kharun added a silver and national record in the 50 butterfly (21.67) and played a vital role in helping Canada medal in three relays; he departed Budapest with five medals in total.

Honorable Mentions:

• Josh Liendo: Liendo delivered an outstanding performance in Paris during his second Olympic appearance. His initial individual event did not proceed as expected—he missed reaching the final of the men’s 100 freestyle, yet he rebounded impressively. He became only the fifth man to break the 50-second barrier in the 100 butterfly, setting a Canadian record as he earned silver in a competitive final for his inaugural Olympic medal. His time led to a 2-3 finish in the event for Canada, with him and Kharun sharing the podium. Liendo was added to the men’s 50 freestyle final and maximized the opportunity; he finished fourth in 21.58, just two-hundredths away from the podium. Liendo was crucial to Canada’s relays, competing in the nation’s fifth-place men’s 4×100 medley and sixth-place men’s 4×100 freestyle relays. Beyond the long-course pool, Liendo showcased dominance at the 2024 Men’s NCAA Championships, sweeping his individual events by winning the 50 free (18.07), 100 fly (43.07), and 100 free (40.20). He also aided the Gators in defending their 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay titles, with an NCAA record (1:20.15) in the former.
• Finlay Knox: At the 2024 World Championships in Doha, Finlay Knox astonished the crowd by clinching the 200 IM from lane 7. This victory marked the first long-course World Championships gold for a Canadian man since Brent Hayden in 2007. It is the sixth world title secured by a Canadian man and the second in the 200 IM. Knox claimed his title in a Canadian record of 1:56.64, which he subsequently improved to 1:56.07 at the Canadian Olympic Trials as he secured his spot to Paris in his first individual event. Ultimately, Knox finished 8th in the 200 IM and, like Liendo, was instrumental in Canada achieving a fifth-place finish in the men’s 4×100 medley relay and sixth in the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay. He captured bronze in the 200 IM at the 2024 Short Course World Championships, setting a Canadian record of 1:50.90 to claim his spot on the podium.

PREVIOUS WINNERS: