Montreal-Born Kharun Rises on Global Stage

Montreal-born Ilya Kharun is quickly making waves for Canada at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. The 20-year-old swimmer, raised in Las Vegas and son of former Cirque du Soleil performers, is positioning himself as a key contender in international swimming, particularly in the men’s butterfly events.

Spotlight Turns to 200m Butterfly Final in Singapore

Kharun is set to compete in the men’s 200-metre butterfly final on Wednesday, July 30, at 7:50 a.m. ET, live on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. After a strong semifinal performance, he qualified fifth overall with a time of 1:54.43, showcasing a powerful final 50-metre surge that hints at more to come in the final race.

From Cirque Roots to Canadian Records

Initially headed for gymnastics, Kharun chose swimming for its accessibility and affordability. Since debuting for Canada at the 2022 short-course world championships, he has set multiple national records and captured Olympic bronze in both the 100m and 200m butterfly in Paris 2024—the first Canadian male swimmer to do so in over a decade.

Eyeing a Podium Finish Amid Tough Competition

While Canadian star Summer McIntosh continues to dominate headlines with her multi-event gold pursuit, Kharun has steadily emerged as a reliable medal hopeful. Despite narrowly missing the 50m butterfly final by just 0.01 seconds, he remains in strong form for the 200m. Notably, several top global rivals, including France’s Leon Marchand and Hungary’s Kristof Milak, have opted out of this event, opening a pathway for Kharun.

Training Shifts and Olympic Outlook

Under new Arizona State head coach Herbie Behm—who replaced legendary Bob Bowman—Kharun has focused more on sprint events. His recent Canadian record of 22.68 in the 50m butterfly is the eighth-fastest time in history. This shift comes ahead of the event’s Olympic debut in Los Angeles 2028, marking Kharun as a long-term asset for Team Canada.

Friendly Rivalry with Fellow Canadian Josh Liendo

Looking beyond Wednesday’s final, Kharun will face fellow Canadian Olympian Josh Liendo in the 100m butterfly semifinals on Friday. Their budding rivalry has elevated Canadian swimming, with Liendo holding the national record and Kharun closely trailing with a personal best of 50.37 seconds set at the national trials.

Canada’s Medal Hopes Widen at Worlds

With Kharun’s star rising alongside McIntosh and other top Canadian swimmers like Kylie Masse and Taylor Ruck, Canada’s presence at the World Aquatics Championships signals a new era of competitive strength. While Masse narrowly missed a medal in the 100m backstroke and McIntosh prepares for a highly anticipated 800m freestyle faceoff against American great Katie Ledecky, Kharun’s performance could further cement Canada’s global swimming impact.

How to Watch: Live streaming of the World Aquatics Championships continues all week on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem, with televised weekend coverage on CBC. Full broadcast details are available on CBC’s website.

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