Josh Liendo on World Champs Success, Being a Black Swimmer, and Kayla Sanchez

2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

• Friday, July 29 – Wednesday, August 3, 2022
• Birmingham, England
• Sandwell Aquatic Center
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 10:30 am local / 5:30 am ET
  • Finals: 7:00 pm local / 2:00 pm ET
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Event Schedule
• Entry List

In a virtual press conference prior to the start of the Commonwealth Games, Canadian swimmer Josh Liendo discussed his World Championships performance, his experiences being a black swimmer, and his reaction to former Canadian teammate Kayla Sanchez making the decision to represent the Philippines internationally.

You can watch the full video here:

At the World Championships, Liendo took home an impressive medal haul, winning bronze in the 100 fly and 100 free. He also had a fourth-place finish in the 50 free, and earned silver swimming on the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay. This meet came after failing to advance past the semi-finals in all three of his finals at the Olympics last year, and not winning any hardward.

This year, the 19-year-old Liendo set two national records. First at the Canadian World Championship trials this April, he swam a time of 50.88 to break his own Canadian record of 51.44 from last year. Then, at World Championships, he swam a time of 21.61 in the 50 free to take down his trials time of 21.63 by 0.02 seconds. His 50 free swim from trials broke Brent Hayden’s super-suited Canadian record time of 21.73 that was set back in 2009.

The Commonwealth Games are set to begin on Friday, July 29, in Birmingham, England. At the meet, Liendo is set to swim the 50 free, 100 free, 50 fly, and 100 free, in addition to being on multiple relays.