Canadian swimmer Ilya Kharun wins gold, sets meet record in 200m butterfly at U.S. Open
Canada’s Ilya Kharun celebrates after winning the men’s 200-metre butterfly final with a meet record time of one minute 54.66 seconds at the U.S. Open Swimming Championships on Saturday at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
Canada’s Ilya Kharun swam to gold in the men’s 200-metre butterfly while setting a meet record at the U.S. Open Swimming Championships in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday.
The Montreal-born rising star led from start to finish, clocking one minute 54.66 seconds to edge Martin Espernberger of the United States by .03 seconds on the final day of competition at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
American Trenton Julian rounded out the podium in 1:55.59.
Kharun, 18, is the son of two parents who spent most of their lives performing with Cirque du Soleil. He has spent the majority of his life living in the United States.
He also reached the U.S. Open podium on Friday, finishing just .01 seconds behind American star in the men’s 100m butterfly Caeleb Dressel with a time of 51.32.
Kharun swims for Arizona State University under legendary Bob Bowman, who famously helped Michael Phelps to 23 Olympic gold medals.
Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh captured her third medal of the four-day meet earlier on Saturday with bronze in the women’s 200m backstroke, getting under 2:07 for the first time in her career (2:06.81).
Regan Smith of the U.S. lowered her meet record to 2:04.27, while compatriot Claire Curzan beat McIntosh for silver by 0.42 seconds.
McIntosh won gold on Thursday and Friday with dominant performances in the 400m freestyle and 400m individual medley.
In other results, U.S. superstar Katie Ledecky bounced back from a pair of second-place finishes in Greensboro with gold in the women’s 1,500m freestyle on Saturday.
The reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder won by nearly 25 seconds in 15:46.38, finishing ahead of fellow Americans Paige Madden (16:11.26) and Leah Smith (16:15.45).
Mary Sophie-Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., finished seventh in the women’s 100m freestyle final.