Ilya Kharun was born into a family of performers. In 2023, the 18-year-old put on a pretty good show himself. Kharun proved his first long-course world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, wasn’t too big a stage for him. He etched his name on a pair of Canadian records and just missed the podium in the 200-m butterfly, plus qualified for two other semifinals.
His performance earned Kharun Swimming Canada’s award for the Olympic Program’s Breakout Swimmer of the Year.
“Ilya had a great breakout season,” said High Performance Director and National Coach John Atkinson. “We saw some great swimming at the world championships.
“He has speed and endurance and will be in the mix for 2024 on the international stage.”
Kharun is adding to the depth in the men’s program as Swimming Canada prepares for this summer’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“It is great to see our Canadian men making an impact on the world stage,” said Atkinson.
Kharun, who was born in Montreal before being raised in the United States, broke the Canadian 200-m fly record twice before finishing fourth at the world championships.
“It could have been better,” Kharun told Swimming Canada at the time. “I certainly dropped a lot of time. I definitely wanted a podium finish.
“I’ll have to get it (at the Olympics.)”
Kharun also qualified for the semifinals in the 100-m butterfly, finishing ninth, and the 50 fly, where he was 14thand tied Josh Liendo’s Canadian record twice. Kharun made his debut at the 2022 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Melbourne, Australia, winning his first individual silver in the men’s 100 butterfly. He also helped the team to bronze in the 4×50 mixed medley relay.
At the 2023 Toyota U.S. Open Championships in December, Kharun won the gold medal and set a meet record in the 200-m butterfly. He also was second in the 100-m fly, just 0.01 behind American Caeleb Dressel and ahead of Liendo.
Kharun’s parents were Cirque du Soleil performers. He spent the first few months of his life in Montreal before moving to Las Vegas.
“My family were acrobats,” Kharun said in an interview with CBC Sports. “Both my mom and dad were in the show.
“My family travelled around the world and I just happened to be born in Montreal.”
Kharun’s mother enrolled him in swimming when he was four years old. He trained with the Sandpipers program in Las Vegas and planned to compete for the United States until he discovered his Canadian roots.
“The guys were really welcoming,” he said about joining the Canadian team. “They really wanted me on the team. I feel right at home.”
Kharun hopes to give Canadian swim fans more to cheer about at the Paris Games.
“Hopefully they can expect a lot from me,” he said.