Olympic medallist Josh Liendo focused on busy swimming summer

Tara De Boer · CBC Sports

· Posted: May 08, 2025 4:07 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

Canadian Olympic swimmer Josh Liendo whitethorn beryllium conscionable 22 years old, but he's already stepping into a mentorship relation for the swimmers pursuing successful his footsteps. 

The Toronto autochthonal conscionable capped his 3rd twelvemonth astatine the University of Florida, wherever he's won 9 NCAA nationalist titles, including 3 consecutive titles successful the men's 100-yard freestyle event.

"Obviously "freshman Josh" was conscionable trying to find my mode and fig retired however to aquatics successful the NCAA," Liendo told CBC Sports. "I've already been done it. I tin assistance immoderate of these younger guys, particularly internationals who don't truly cognize thing astir yards." 

Liendo has already captured 4 satellite medals, including the 3 helium won during his breakout play astatine the World Aquatics Championships successful Budapest successful 2022. 

He's represented Canada astatine the past 2 Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, wherever won his archetypal Olympic medal — a metallic successful the 100-metre butterfly.

"Last summer, determination were immoderate bully results and determination were immoderate results that I would privation to amended on," helium said. "Just excited to benignant of enactment unneurotic what I've been moving connected and training." 

WATCH | Liendo takes connected mentoring role: 

New events added to 2028 Olympics

At the LA 2028 Summer Olympics, 3 caller events volition beryllium added to the programme for the archetypal time: the 50m butterfly, 50m backstroke, and 50m breaststroke. 

At the Paris Olympics. Liendo swam the 50m butterfly successful 23.24 seconds — a Canadian grounds — but says helium has a "love-hate relationship" with the event. 

"I'm not the champion astatine it. My 50-metre champion clip is from Paris…I haven't truly figured it out," helium said.  "I'm a small iffy connected the 50 fly, the 100 has ever been my stronger one." 

Liendo volition beryllium competing successful the Canadian aquatics trials from June 7 to 12 successful Victoria, B.C., and volition past crook his attraction to the aquatics worlds successful Singapore, which statesman July 11.

"I'm excited to contention agelong course. I consciousness similar I'm ready. I consciousness similar the things that I've been moving connected successful signifier person been precise overmuch catered to successful the agelong people this year, especially."

At the University of Florida, Liendo trains nether the aforesaid manager — Anthony Nesty — arsenic the astir decorated pistillate Olympian successful history, Katie Ledecky. 

Earlier this month, the 28-year aged American broke her ain satellite grounds successful the 800m freestyle astatine the Tyr Pro Swim Series meet, which she acceptable 9 years agone astatine the Rio 2016 Olympics.

"It's bully to see. She's idiosyncratic that works truthful hard, nary 1 deserves it more," Liendo said. "I don't deliberation I've ever met idiosyncratic astatine that level with a amended cognition astatine that level than Katie."