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The world will watch the rivalry between the United States and Canada on the ice and in other sporting events when top athletes arrive in Milan Cortina for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The heat around Summer Olympic athletes was just heating up when a two-time Canadian medalist decided to switch from Team Canada to Team USA on Monday.
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Josh Liendo (Canada), left, Kristof Milak (Hungary) and Ilya Kharun (Canada) at the men’s 100 meter butterfly medal ceremony during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics at the Paris La Défense stadium on August 3, 2024. (Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports)
Ilya Kharun, an Olympic swimmer who was born in Montreal and won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Games, announced his joining the United States and thanked Swimming Canada in a post on Instagram.
“John Atkinson and everyone who represents Swim Canada, thank you. I wouldn’t be the swimmer and person I am today without your support,” she captioned the post. “To my Canadian teammates, thank you. You helped me progress into the person I am today. You truly made me feel like part of a family. It has been an honor to carry the Maple Leaf flag and everyone in Canada will always have my support.”
Kharun said he “always felt like an American” despite Canada’s immense support.
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Canada’s Ilya Kharun competes in the 400-meter individual medley during the FINA Swimming World Cup preliminaries on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, at the Indiana University Natatorium. (Grace Hollars/USA TODAY Sports)
“I grew up in Las Vegas. I’ve lived in the United States my entire life. I’ve never represented a team outside of USA Swimming,” he added. “I have a long career as a swimmer and I would like to live at home. And that home is in the United States.”
Kharun moved to Las Vegas when he was young because his parents, who were Ukrainian acrobats, continued their careers with Cirque du Soleil.
The 20-year-old butterfly swimmer took home two bronze medals in Paris after winning a gold at the 2024 world championships in Budapest. He also won a bronze medal last year in Singapore.
Kharun will have to wait a year before he can officially compete under the United States flag, as he needs to be released from Swimming Canada. He should have enough time to try to qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Ilya Kharun of Team Canada is seen on the podium after winning bronze in the men’s 100m butterfly on the eighth day of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena on August 3, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
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Atkinson, director of high performance and national coach for Swimming Canada, told CBC he was disappointed with Kharun’s decision. But he wished him the best in his next endeavor.
