Olympic medalist swimmer Ilya Kharun has officially announced that he will represent the United States in international competition, ending his stint with the Canadian national team.
The 20-year-old made the announcement via Instagram, confirming his long-anticipated switch of sporting nationality. Born in Montreal, Kharun was raised in Las Vegas and is currently a junior at Arizona State University, where he competes under the USA Swimming system.
Kharun’s international journey has been complex. In 2022, he was initially selected for the U.S. team at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships but was removed after it was determined he held only a Canadian passport at the time. He subsequently joined the Canadian national program, where he enjoyed significant success.
Competing for Canada, Kharun won two Olympic bronze medals in 2024 in the men’s 100-meter butterfly (50.45) and 200-meter butterfly (1:52.80). He also captured two silver and one bronze medal in relay events, set three Canadian national records, two world junior records, and claimed the short-course world title in the men’s 200 fly.
In 2025, he added another bronze medal in the 100 fly and completed a rare triple crown across World Championship and World Cup meets.
Despite those achievements, Kharun said his long-term future lay with the United States.
“I’ve never represented a club team outside of USA Swimming,” Kharun wrote. “I’ve got a long career left as a swimmer and I’d like to be based at home. And that home is in the USA.”
Kharun became a U.S. citizen in April 2024 but continued competing for Canada during the transition period. Under World Aquatics regulations, swimmers must observe a 12-month waiting period from their last appearance for a former country before representing a new nation internationally.
His nationality switch will take effect on October 26, 2026, making him eligible to compete for the U.S. ahead of the Short Course World Championships in Beijing, scheduled for December 1–6, 2026.
At the collegiate level, Kharun has continued to impress for Arizona State. At the 2025 Men’s NCAA Championships, he finished runner-up in the 100 fly behind Josh Liendo, placed third in the 200 fly, and fourth in the 50 freestyle, marking his third NCAA Championships appearance in two months.
With his eligibility timeline now clear, Kharun is expected to become a major contender for the U.S. swimming team heading into the next Olympic cycle.
Source: Yahoo Sports
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