World Cup Swing Shows Relay Potential of Javier Acevedo, Canadian Men<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Javier Acevedo; Photo Courtesy: Chamberlain Smith \/ Georgia Athletics<\/p><\/div>\n
Just as impressive is what Ilya Kharun<\/strong> accomplished at the meets. He took down records in the 50 fly and 100 fly that had belonged to Josh Liendo,<\/strong> including taking the 100 fly mark to 49.94. Kharun also turned in a 1:51.70 in the 200 fly, which lopped 1.23 seconds off Acevedo\u2019s record from last year.<\/p>\n
Kharun might well be the game-changer for Canada. He trains at Sandpipers at Nevada, one of the top sources of young talent to the United States<\/a>, and he\u2019ll make his debut for Team Canada at the FINA World Championships (25M) this December. He had been slated to represent the United States last summer at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships before an issue of his citizenship surfaced. (As such, the national age-group record for 15-16 in the 100 fly that he set last December<\/a> has been expunged<\/a>.)<\/p>\n
With the success at the World Cup meets, Canadians have had 15 record-setting swims in short-course pools this fall, 10 on the men\u2019s side and five for the women. That\u2019s in addition to eight long-course marks set over the summer, and it\u2019s before the fall\u2019s peak meet in Melbourne at Worlds.<\/p>\n
Beyond that, though, the speed of Acevedo and Kharun opens up new possibilities on the relay front. The Canadians are coming off an impressive pair of 400-meter relays at the Tokyo Olympics. The medley relay shocked many by making the final, finishing seventh. The 400 free missed a medal by just six-tenths<\/a>, setting a national record, though that foursome must replace the since re-retired<\/a> Brent Hayden.<\/strong> (Thormeyer was on both relays squads, and he\u2019s had a quiet 2022 on the competition side.)<\/p>\n
Kharun opens news possibilities for Canada. He\u2019ll turn 18 in February and has pledged his college future to Arizona State. His butterfly speed solidifies Canada\u2019s medley relay, allowing Liendo to move to the anchor leg and swim freestyle. That\u2019s three legs sorted.<\/p>\n
That leaves only the breaststroke question \u2013 Gabe Mastromatteo<\/strong>, who earned the honors in Tokyo, was the slowest of the eight finalists by more than a half second and the second-slowest among the 14 legal relays in prelims. Help may be on the way there, too, with a Canadian record in the 50 breast having been set last spring by Apollo Hess<\/strong> (26.65) of the University of Lethbridge at the U SPORTS Championships.<\/p>\n
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CANADIAN RECORD \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6<\/p>\n
Apollo Hess from the University of Lethbridge sets a new Canadian and U SPORTS record in the men’s 50m breaststroke with a 26.65 pic.twitter.com\/fm9S74smgr<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 CBC Sports (@cbcsports) March 26, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n