Kayla Sanchez

Kayla Sanchez is a competitive swimmer who represents Canada internationally. She is a 2020 Olympian and Olympic medalist.

2019 World Championships (Gwangju, South Korea)

Sanchez swam the leadoff leg of the 4×200 free relay for Canada, helping the team to a bronze medal. Sanchez clocked a 1:57.32 to open the race as Canada swam a national record 7:44.35, finishing third behind Australia and the United States. Taylor Ruck, Emily Overholt and Penny Oleksiak rounded out the record setting relay team.

Sanchez also was part of Canada’s 400 free relay which set a national record of 3:31.79 en route to a bronze medal, besting the country’s mark of 3:32.89 from the Rio Olympics. Sanchez swam a 53.72 to start the race, followed by Ruck, Oleksiak and Maggie MacNeil.

2020 Olympic Games

Sanchez started off her first Olympics on the 4×100 free relay. In the final heat, she led off Canada’s relay in 53.42, helping her home nation to touch 2nd and earn a silver medal.

Sanchez finished her Games in the 400 medley relay, where she swam the anchor leg in prelims, splitting 52.68 to help Canada advance to the final, where they won bronze.

2021 FINA Short Course World Championships (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)

Sanchez took relay duties to the extreme at SC Worlds. On day 1, she was 51.76 from the swing in the 400 free relay heats. In what was a wild four-team battle in the final that went all the way down to the wire, Canada and the U.S. finished in a dead-heat for first in 3:28.52. Sanchez led off in a swift 51.73 as the squad of Sanchez, Mac Neil (52.07), Rebecca Smith (52.11), and Katerine Savard (52.61) cracked the Canadian record.

The next day, Sanchez split 23.50 to anchor the Canadian Women’s 200 medley relay to 4th and national record. In the 100, Sanchez was 3rd in prelims (52.38) and semis (52.28). In the finals she dropped to a 51.86 but placed 5th. With the 100 free and 100 IM overlapping, Sanchez was out of the final with a 59.07 for 11th.

On the Canadian mixed 200 free relay, Sanchez was 23.51 on the 3rd leg in the finals as Canada powered to a world title. In the 800 free relay, the Canadian team of Summer McIntosh (1:54.30), Sanchez (1:52.97), Savard (1:54.01), and Smith (1:51.68) nearly cracked the world record of 7:32.85 with a 7:32.96. They also won gold. In the 400 medley relay, Sanchez anchored in 51.33 and claimed a silver. 

2022 Candiaian Swimming Trials (Victoria, British Columbia)

Sanchez was on solid form at Canadian Swimming Trials. In the 50 free, she put up a 24.82 in prelims and won the final with a 24.93. She was 2nd in the 100 free prelims with a 53.88 but topped Penny Oleksiak and Taylor Ruck in the final with a 53.68 for another win. In the 200 free, Sanchez ended up 4th with a 1:57.61.

2022 World Championships

Sanchez started her meet off in the 400 free relay, leading off for Canada in 53.45 to help her team finish 2nd. Individually, she competed in the 100 free, making the final and finishing 6th overall in 53.59.

Sanchez held down relay duties throughout the meet, competing in the 800 free relay final on day 5 (1:57.39 on the 2nd leg, bronze overall), mixed 400 free relay on day 7 (52.52 3rd leg, silver overall), and 400 medley relay prelims on day 8 (53.35 anchor, relay went onto win bronze in the final).

Competing for the Philippines 

Sanchez was released by Swimming Canada following the 2022 World Championships, having been a member of the Canadian Senior National Team since 2017. She was born to Filipino parents in Singapore and felt a strong connection to her family history which ultimately led to this decision. 

 Sanchez’s best times were faster than 18 Filippino records at the time:

LONG COURSE METERS

SHORT COURSE METERS