In a bold and unexpected move, Ilya Kharun, a two-time Olympic medalist and reigning short course world champion, has declared that he will be switching his national representation from Canada to the United States. This significant decision comes after over three years of proudly competing under the Canadian flag.
The 20-year-old athlete shared this news with his followers via Instagram, expressing that although he has been a part of the Canadian swimming community, he has always identified as an American. "I’ve lived in the U.S. my entire life and have always felt like an American," he stated.
Kharun’s heartfelt message included gratitude towards Canada and its swimming community: "First and foremost, I want to thank everyone in Canada. It’s been an incredible journey representing Canada and competing alongside such talented athletes. I owe a lot to John Atkinson and everyone at Swim Canada for their unwavering support. To my fellow Canadian teammates, your camaraderie made me feel like family, and I will always cherish that experience. Wearing the Maple Leaf was an honor, and I’ll forever support Canada."
Yet, despite this deep appreciation, Kharun emphasized his lifelong connection to the U.S. He explained, "I grew up in Las Vegas and have never represented any club outside of USA Swimming. With many more years ahead in my swimming career, I want to base myself at home, and that home is in the USA."
According to SwimSwam, Kharun's change in sporting citizenship will officially take effect on October 26, 2026, perfectly aligning with the U.S. selection meet for the upcoming Short Course World Championships. Under the regulations set by World Aquatics, a swimmer must complete a 12-month waiting period after last representing their previous nation before they can compete for their new country at international events. Kharun’s final competition for Canada was during the Toronto leg of the World Cup, which wrapped up on October 25.
Born in Montreal to Ukrainian parents who worked with Cirque du Soleil, Kharun spent his formative years in Las Vegas, where he trained with the Sandpipers of Nevada. In 2022, he was selected for the U.S. Junior Pan Pacific Championships team but was removed from the lineup when it was discovered he only held a Canadian passport, necessitating his representation of Canada, his birth nation.
After successfully competing for Canada at both the 2022 Short Course World Championships and the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, Kharun became a U.S. citizen in early April 2024. At that time, he intended to continue swimming for Canada internationally. Later that same year, he made his Olympic debut for Canada, earning bronze medals in the men's 100 meter butterfly and 200 meter butterfly, with his 200 meter time setting a new Canadian record.
In late 2024, he achieved a remarkable victory by clinching the title in the men’s 200 meter butterfly at the short course world championships, also securing a silver medal in the 50 meter butterfly, both times setting national records. Furthermore, he contributed to Canadian relay teams, bringing home additional medals from those championships.
During the 2025 World Championships, Kharun not only won a bronze medal in the men’s 100 meter butterfly with a personal best of 50.07 seconds—just shy of Josh Liendo's national record—but he also placed fourth in the 200 meter butterfly and ninth in the 50 meter butterfly.
His most recent performances include competing in all three legs of the 2025 World Cup, where he earned accolades for his outstanding performances in the men’s 50 meter and 200 meter butterfly events. Kharun briefly held Canadian records in the 50 meter freestyle and 100 meter butterfly, though these were soon surpassed by Liendo.
John Atkinson, the High Performance Director for Swimming Canada, expressed his surprise and disappointment at Kharun's announcement. "Ilya has been part of our national team since 2022, and his achievements cannot be overlooked. His contributions to Canadian swimming history are invaluable. We wish him well and consider him a friend of our national team," Atkinson remarked.
Currently, Kharun is a junior at Arizona State University, where he finished as the runner-up to Liendo in the 100 meter butterfly at the 2025 Men’s NCAA Championships and secured third place in the 200 meter butterfly, along with a fourth-place finish in the 50 meter freestyle. As the reigning national champion in the 200 meter butterfly, he is gearing up for his third Men’s NCAA Championships in the next couple of months, where he will face off against Liendo in the 100 meter butterfly, while in the 200 meter butterfly, he will compete against Luca Urlando, the defending NCAA champion and current world champion.
