Toronto’s Joshua Liendo Captures Butterfly Gold

Canada added another gold medal to its Commonwealth Games campaign on Sunday after swimmer Joshua Liendo produced a record breaking performance in the men’s 100 metre butterfly, edging two Australians in a thrilling finish at Glasgow’s Tollcross International Swimming Centre.

The Toronto native successfully defended the Commonwealth title he first claimed in 2022, touching the wall in 50.42 seconds to establish a new Games record. Australia’s Matthew Temple finished a fraction behind in 50.43 seconds to take silver, while Ben Armbruster secured bronze in 50.58 seconds.

The victory further confirmed the 23-year-old’s standing among the world’s elite butterfly specialists. Liendo entered the event as the defending Commonwealth champion and has continued to build an impressive international résumé, highlighted by an Olympic silver medal in the same discipline at the 2024 Paris Games. He is also a five-time world championship medallist and was scheduled to return to the pool later on Sunday for the men’s 50 metre freestyle final.

Canada was also looking to strengthen its medal haul through Kylie Masse of LaSalle, Ontario. The five-time Olympic medallist was due to compete in the women’s 100 metre backstroke final later in the day.

Liendo has already secured a place in Canadian sporting history. He became the first Black Canadian swimmer to win an individual medal at a major international championship and the first Black Canadian swimmer to earn a place on an Olympic podium. He represented Canada at both the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.

Born in Toronto to Trinidadian parents, Liendo spent his early years in Trinidad and Tobago, where he learned the sport with the Silver Sharks Swim Club.

After relocating to Scarborough at the age of nine, he trained with the Toronto Olympian Swim Team before continuing his development with the North York Aquatic Club. He has previously credited American swimming great Michael Phelps with inspiring him to focus on the butterfly.

His rise began attracting national attention in 2017 when he established an age group record of 54.76 seconds in the 100 metre butterfly at the Canadian junior championships. “That was the moment I knew I could go far in the sport,” Liendo said. He later won bronze in the 400 metre medley relay at the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships before competing for Canada at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

Canada’s medal total now stands at six, consisting of two gold, two silver and two bronze. The Commonwealth Games run until Aug. 2 and feature 3,000 athletes representing 74 countries and territories after Glasgow assumed hosting duties when Victoria withdrew in 2023 because of rising costs.

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