arena Swim of the Week: Laon Kim Becomes Fastest 16-Year-Old Canadian With 49.65 100 Free

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Disclaimer: Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Swim of the Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn’t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.

University of Calgary Swim Club stud Laon Kim broke an elusive barrier on Friday morning, cracking 50 seconds in the 100 freestyle for the first time.

Competing at the Speedo Canadian Swimming Championships in Toronto, Kim fired off a time of 49.65 in the prelims, making him the fastest 16 & under in Canadian history.

The 16-year-old’s time overtook Josh Liendo‘s 49.71 to give him the #1 spot among 16 & under Canadians all-time. Kim’s time also marked a new Alberta Provincial Record for 16-year-olds.

All-Time 16-Year-Old Performers, Canadian Boys’ 100 Freestyle

1. Laon Kim (University of Calgary Swim Club), 49.65 – 2024 Canadian Championships
2. Josh Liendo (North York Aquatic Club), 49.71 – 2019 Canadian Trials
3. Javier Acevedo (Ajax Swimming), 50.15 – 2014 Youth Olympic Games
4. Paul Dardis (University of Calgary Swim Club), 50.18 – 2023 Canadian Trials
5. Ali Sayed (Club Aquatique Montreal), 50.70 – 2023 Canadian Trials

Kim set his previous best time of 50.22 at the Canadian Olympic Trials in May, set while he was still 15 (also the #1 swim all-time for 15-year-olds).

Split Comparison

In the boys’ 15-17 age group, Kim now ranks 2nd all-time to Liendo, who went 49.17 at the 2019 World Junior Championships.

For added context, Kim’s time would rank 7th all-time in the U.S. boys’ 15-16 age group.

All-Time 15-17 Rankings, Canadian Boys’ 100 Freestyle

1. Josh Liendo (North York Aquatic Club), 49.17 – 2019 World Junior Championships
2. Laon Kim (University of Calgary Swim Club), 49.65 – 2024 Canadian Championships
3. Hasaan Abdel-Khalik (Etobicoke Swim Club), 49.76 – 2009 Tri-Nations Cup
4. Filip Senc-Samardzic (Toronto Swim Club), 49.80 – 2023 World Junior Championships
5. Javier Acevedo (Ajax Swimming), 49.85 – 2015 Canadian Trial

Kim qualified 1st out of this morning’s prelims in the boys’ 16-18 age group ahead of CAMO’s Antoine Sauve, an 18-year-old who went 49.71, just shy of his 49.47 PB.

You can find full meet results here.

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