Ilya Kharun Sets 50 Fly Canadian Record, Two Pro Swim Series Marks
Ilya Kharun’s weekend at the TYR Pro Swim Series didn’t begin auspiciously. But it ended with a national record and two Pro Swim Series records.
Kharun took Finlay Knox’s national mark in the 50 fly by going 23.09 seconds to win the event, then followed it up Saturday with a series mark in the 100 fly.
Things didn’t start well for the Arizona State swimmer in Fort Lauderdale. He finished 13th in the 200 butterfly in 2:00.51, the bronze medalist from last year’s Paris Olympics skipping out on the B finals.
But it proved to be a blip. He went 23.32 to finish second in prelims of Friday’s 50 fly, then sped up to win the event in 23.09. That downs the mark of 23.25 that Knox set at the 2024 World Championships in Doha. It also banished the long-standing Pro Swim Series Mark of 23.11 that had held since 2012 in the hands of Australian Matt Targett. (Maxime Grousset had threatened it by going 23.12 to win in Sacramento last month.)
In Saturday’s 100 fly, Kharun led the way in prelims with a time of 50.86. He backed it by dominating the final to win in 50.42. That undercuts the Pro Swim Series record set in 2023 by Shaine Casas at 50.80. (Casas, who went 50.82 in Westmont in March, opted for the 200 individual medley on Saturday instead, outdueling Leon Marchand and Carson Foster).
The Canadian record in that event remains the 49.99 that Josh Liendo used to win silver at the Paris Olympics. Kharun was .03 quicker on Saturday than his bronze-winning time of 50.45.
Kharun also set a pair of best times in the 50 free, his sprint abilities getting miles better in his work with Herbie Behm at Arizona State. He went 22.42 in prelims and 22.49 in finals. His previous best in the event was 22.66 from last April.
