Canada Names World Short-Course Team with Josh Liendo, Without Summer McIntosh
Canada on Friday announced its team for the 2026 World Short-Course Championships, a group that includes the return of Josh Liendo but does not include Summer McIntosh.
Liendo and Kylie Masse both return to the team after swimming at the Commonwealth Games this summer but eschewing the Pan Pacific Championships. Taylor Ruck is also on the 21-swimmer team for the event in Beijing Dec. 1-6.
The group includes 14 Olympians. It’s led by Masse, who has 11 career World Short-Course Championships medals and 11 at the Commonwealth Games. Ruck owns seven career Worlds medals in the 25-meter pool and picked up five medals at Pan Pacs.
Liendo, the silver medalist in the 100 butterfly at the Paris Olympics, won gold in the event at Commonwealths. He’s joined by Canada veterans Javier Acevedo, Finlay Knox, Ruslan Gaziev, Yuri Kisil and Blake Tierney on the men’s side. Knox has medaled in the 200 individual medley at each of the last two editions of the meet. Acevedo won silver in the 100 IM in 2022.
“We have a strong team, with many veteran international medallists, supported by an experienced coaching staff,” head coach Iain McDonald said in a press release. “It’s an excellent opportunity to race world class competitors both in individual and relay events as we start a critical year in our preparation for the 2028 Olympics.”
The women’s team includes Sophie Angus, Mary-Sophie Harvey and Ingrid Wilm. Harvey won silver in the 200 free at the last edition of the meet in 2024 among five medals. Pan Pacs 200 breast gold medalist Alexanne Lepage is included in the squad.
The group doesn’t include McIntosh, who is coming off a so-so performance by her standards at Pan Pacs. She won the 400 IM but took silver in the 200 free and 200 IM but missed the final in the 400 free.
“The World Aquatics Swimming Championships have become a well-established and highly competitive event, and we’re thrilled with the team that will represent Canada in Beijing. Our athletes will have the opportunity to race at the iconic Beijing National Aquatics Centre, known as the Water Cube, which hosted the 2008 Olympic Games,” Swimming Canada high performance director and national coach John Atkinson said. “These Championships provide an excellent racing opportunity as our swimmers transition into the 2027 long-course season. The experience in Beijing will help set the stage for our April selection trials in Victoria, where athletes will compete for opportunities to represent Canada at the major championships and Games of 2027.”
Team Canada for 2026 World Short-Course Championships
- Julie Brousseau, Nepean Kanata Swim Club, Anthony Nesty
- Summer Cardwell, Pointe Claire Swim Club, Stephanie Junker
- Ella Cosgrove, Unattached Canada, Noah Yanchulis
- Sarah Fournier, Club Aquatique Montreal, Marc-Andre Pelletier
- Mary-Sophie Harvey, Club Aquatique Montreal, Greg Arkhurst
- Alexanne Lepage, University of Calgary Swim Club, Mike Blondal
- Kylie Masse, Toronto Swim Club,
- Taylor Ruck, HPC Vancouver, Scott Talbot
- Ingrid Wilm, HPC Vancouver/Cascade Swim Club, Scott Talbot
- Javier Acevedo, HPC Ontario, Ryan Mallette
- Raben Dommann, HPC Vancouver, Scott Talbot
- Ruslan Gaziev, Unattached Canada, Brian Schrader
- Apollo Hess, HPC Ontario, Ryan Mallette
- Tristan Jankovics, Royal City Aquatics, Norm Wright
- Aiden Kirk, HPC Vancouver/Kelowna Aquajets, Scott Talbot
- Yuri Kisil, UBC Thunderbirds, Derrick Schoof
- Finlay Knox, HPC Vancouver/Okotoks Mavericks, Scott Talbot
- Josh Liendo, North York Aquatic Club,
- Benjamin Loewen, HPC Vancouver/CREST Swimming, Scott Talbot
- Blake Tierney, HPC Vancouver/Saskatoon Goldfins, Scott Talbot
