Canadian swimmer Josh Liendo sets short course world record in 100m butterfly

Josh Liendo arrived at Pan Am Sports Centre on Thursday with many fond memories of his hometown pool.

It’s where the 23-year-old set his first Canadian record in 2017, where he made his first Olympic team a few years later and where the Toronto swimmer boasts several national marks.

It’s also where Liendo set a short course world record in the men’s 100-metre butterfly on Thursday evening. His winning time of 47.68 seconds eclipsed the previous mark of 47.71 by Switzerland's Noe Ponti, who was third on this night in 48.38.

Liendo, who added a second gold-medal performance later in evening in the men’s 50 freestyle, told Devin Heroux of CBC Sports he couldn’t have imagined setting a world mark in the third and final leg of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.

“I would have been happy if I saw 48 [seconds] up on the board. Seeing that world record [time] I kinda just went nuts,” said Liendo, who pounded a clenched left fist into the water seconds after the race.

“This pool’s awesome, the crowd’s awesome, so I guess that helped pull me along.”

Toronto's Josh Liendo sets world record in 100m butterfly, Montreal's Ilya Kharun claims silver

The two-time Olympian earned $12,500 for his achievement, including $10,000 for the world record.

In the crowd was Liendo’s mom, aunt, uncle and former chiropractor.

“Everyone came tonight,” he added, “so I was happy I could put on a show for them.”

Iyla Kharun of Montreal, who earned 2024 Olympic bronze in the 100 and 200 fly, captured silver in Toronto. He held the previous Canadian record of 49-flat and went 48.35 on Thursday.

Later, the six-foot-four Liendo clocked 20.31 in the 50 free for a World Cup record, beating American Jack Alexy by 39-100ths of a second. Kharun earned bronze