pool. His performance was a clear sign of his potential in the American swimming scene.
Born in Montreal to parents who performed as acrobats for Cirque du Soleil, Kharun moved to Las Vegas during his childhood. In January, he revealed plans to compete for the U.S., though international representation is on hold until 2026. Despite this, Kharun’s recent win at the national championships highlights his readiness to make an impact in U.S. swimming.
Kharun’s 22.59-second time edged out a strong field, including nine-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel, who clocked in second. Dressel, currently the second-fastest man in the 50m butterfly, swam his fastest in the event since his World Championship win in 2022. The 50m butterfly, which will debut at the 2028 Olympics, is now a key event for Kharun as he transitions into American competition.
Other notable performances came from young swimmers. With this result, she now ranks as the fifth-fastest U.S. woman in the 200m freestyle, following in the footsteps of legends like Allison Schmitt, Katie Ledecky, Claire Weinstein, and Missy Franklin.
Ryan Erisman, 19, achieved his personal best in the men’s 200m freestyle with a time of 1:45.23, securing the win. His younger sister, Rylee, followed closely behind in the women’s 200m freestyle with a personal best of 1:55.86, showcasing the family’s strong swimming legacy.
In the men’s 200m freestyle, 17-year-old Luka Mijatovic, the youngest U.S. male at a World Championships since Michael Phelps, narrowly missed Phelps’ age group record for 17-18 year-olds with a time of 1:46.04. Mijatovic, who holds the current 15-16 age group national record, is already being compared to the great Olympian due to his rapid rise in U.S. swimming.
Swimmers Shatter Personal Bests and Make History
Josh Bey, a rising sophomore at Indiana, dominated the men’s 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:07.58, slicing more than two seconds off his personal best. With this result, he now ranks second in the world this year, trailing only Shin Ohashi of Japan, who holds the world junior record in the event with a time of 2:06.59.
In the women’s 200m backstroke, Isabelle Stadden emerged victorious with a commanding performance, finishing in 2:04.76 and beating the field by over two seconds. Earlier this year, Stadden clocked 2:04.37, making her the fourth-fastest woman in history in the event, just behind Australian Kaylee McKeown and American legends Regan Smith and Missy Franklin.
The Toyota USA Swimming National Championships continue on Thursday, with finals scheduled for 9 p.m. The competition showcases the depth of U.S. swimming, with standout performances from new and veteran swimmers alike, setting the stage for future Olympic contenders.