Latest news with #Liendo
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Five Canadian medal contenders to watch at world swimming championships
Canada is sending a powerhouse swimming squad to the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, with several top medal contenders hitting the pool when competition begins Saturday. Here are five Canadian medal contenders to watch at the worlds: Summer McIntosh The 18-year-old set three world records and five Canadian records while qualifying in five events at the Canadian swim trials. The Toronto native became the first swimmer to break three different individual long-course world records in one meet since American Michael Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Despite that, McIntosh believes she can be even faster at the world championships. She's coming off a four-medal showing (three gold, one silver) at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where she became the first Canadian athlete to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games. Josh Liendo Liendo, 22, won silver in the men's 100-metre butterfly in his Olympic debut in Paris last year. Now, the Toronto native looks to add to his world championship medal haul, which stands at four. He earned three medals at the 2022 worlds (one silver, two bronze) and another silver in 2023 in the 100 butterfly. Ilya Kharun The 20-year-old Montreal native was on the very same podium as Liendo, taking bronze in the 100 butterfly in Paris. But he also earned bronze in the 200 butterfly in his Olympic debut. At swim trials in Victoria, Kharun also got the better of Liendo in the 100 by 0.9 seconds. Kharun has seven short-course world championship medals (one gold, four silver, two bronze) but will be in search of his first world championship medal in Singapore. Kylie Masse The Lasalle, Ont., product has been a staple on Canada's successful women's program over the years, both individually and in relay events. Masse, 29, has amassed five Olympic medals (two silver, three bronze) and nine world championship medals (three gold, one silver, five bronze) over her career. Masse, who specializes in the backstroke, said she's put 'a little more focus' into the 50-metre event after winning at nationals. Finlay Knox Knox is slated to defend his world title after cruising to victory in the 200 individual medley at Canadian swim trials in one minute 57.25 seconds. The 24-year-old from Okotoks, Alta., outdid his time at the Paris Games by one-hundredth of a second at the trials, while leaving room to show even more at worlds with his 2024 world-title winning time being 1:56.64 and his national record of 1:56.07. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Five Canadian medal contenders to watch at world swimming championships
Canada is sending a powerhouse swimming squad to the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, with several top medal contenders hitting the pool when competition begins Saturday. Here are five Canadian medal contenders to watch at the worlds: Summer McIntosh The 18-year-old set three world records and five Canadian records while qualifying in five events at the Canadian swim trials. The Toronto native became the first swimmer to break three different individual long-course world records in one meet since American Michael Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Despite that, McIntosh believes she can be even faster at the world championships. She's coming off a four-medal showing (three gold, one silver) at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where she became the first Canadian athlete to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games. Josh Liendo Liendo, 22, won silver in the men's 100-metre butterfly in his Olympic debut in Paris last year. Now, the Toronto native looks to add to his world championship medal haul, which stands at four. He earned three medals at the 2022 worlds (one silver, two bronze) and another silver in 2023 in the 100 butterfly. Ilya Kharun The 20-year-old Montreal native was on the very same podium as Liendo, taking bronze in the 100 butterfly in Paris. But he also earned bronze in the 200 butterfly in his Olympic debut. At swim trials in Victoria, Kharun also got the better of Liendo in the 100 by 0.9 seconds. Kharun has seven short-course world championship medals (one gold, four silver, two bronze) but will be in search of his first world championship medal in Singapore. Kylie Masse The Lasalle, Ont., product has been a staple on Canada's successful women's program over the years, both individually and in relay events. Masse, 29, has amassed five Olympic medals (two silver, three bronze) and nine world championship medals (three gold, one silver, five bronze) over her career. Masse, who specializes in the backstroke, said she's put 'a little more focus' into the 50-metre event after winning at nationals. Finlay Knox Knox is slated to defend his world title after cruising to victory in the 200 individual medley at Canadian swim trials in one minute 57.25 seconds. The 24-year-old from Okotoks, Alta., outdid his time at the Paris Games by one-hundredth of a second at the trials, while leaving room to show even more at worlds with his 2024 world-title winning time being 1:56.64 and his national record of 1:56.07. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025.
Eater
27-06-2025
- Business
- Eater
This Game-Changing Vegas Tapas Restaurant Is Closing After Seven Years
When it first opened in 2018, it was a nondescript tapas restaurant in a squat Chinatown strip mall. And under the deft guidance of chef Oscar Amador, former Bazaar Meat general manager Roberto Liendo, and partner Joseph Mikulich, EDO Tapas and Wine quickly secured a reputation as one of Las Vegas's best restaurants — revelatory for its playful approach to tapas and prix-fixe tasting menus — all with a Strip-style polish. Seven years after opening and with a wholly new restaurant on the horizon, EDO is closing its doors this September. 'We're just so pleased,' says Liendo. 'We had this intimate space, and people came with open minds and hearts — they really embraced whatever we did.' Within the 35-seat restaurant, Amador dreamed up tasting menus of bluefin tuna tarts in delicate shells with flower petals and passionfruit, and cured jamón draped over icy kumquat leche de tigre. Other dishes became brand staples, now found at Anima by EDO, which opened in 2022, and at La Loba, the group's new Seattle restaurant. Among them: impossibly flaky patatas bravas with a satisfying crunch and countless layers, the pressed and paper-thin bikini panini, and a whimsical celebration of eggs — frothy salted-fish espuma with egg yolk, roe, and caviar, served in a hollowed-out shell atop a porcelain egg carton. EDO's rotating tasting menus, marked by joyously inventive flavors and tweezer-placed precision, quickly earned it a loyal following happy to trek to an unassuming strip mall on Spring Mountain Road. 'The smaller space really allows us to have fun with that,' says Liendo. 'With that said, we feel that it's time for EDO to have a rebirth.' EDO's closing coincides with the debut of the group's newest restaurant, Braseria, opening at the Collective — the Convention Center-adjacent dining hub that also houses Cleaver, Tacos & Beer, and Marrakech. The brasserie-style concept will lean into French classics with a playful twist, served in a space three times the size of EDO and featuring an extensive wine list. It's also a return to form for Amador, who cooked at the prestigious Le Cirque at the Bellagio after relocating from Barcelona. 'We're going to bring some French dishes like onion soup and escargot, but we're going to have it in a playful way,' says Amador. While Amador built his career around Spanish cooking, he notes the close ties between French and Catalan cuisine. 'We thought it would be only natural to introduce some of that French cuisine into our dishes,' says Amador. Braseria will forgo the tasting menu format, encouraging guests to share large-format dishes, with flair coming from roving caviar carts and tableside presentations of beef tartare. The design highlights high ceilings, a dramatic wall-length bar, dark woods, leather and brass accents, murals, chandeliers, and a wine cellar that will eventually house 1,000 bottles, from prestige labels to boutique producers. And that all leads to the future of the current EDO space. Amador is holding onto the restaurant, eager to do something he describes broadly as 'very, very special.' It's expected to remain closed for a short time, while it gets a new name, a small update to the design, and an entirely new menu. 'I want to do something else, but I cannot say too much now,' says Amador. Since opening, EDO has continued to rack up accolades. In 2023, it made Yelp's list of the top 100 restaurants in the Southwest. That same year, Amador earned his first James Beard nomination, and Yelp named Anima the best new restaurant in the country. In 2024, he was a finalist in James Beard's national Outstanding Chef category. Liendo recalls early concerns that Spanish cuisine might be a hard sell. 'I'm mostly thankful for the people — the chefs and people that came in,' says Liendo. 'It was fun to see them taking ideas from our menu and bringing that creative approach.' As for Amador, he says that he had the ambition to make EDO into something deeper. 'And I think we achieved that,' he says. Leading up to its September farewell, EDO will revive fan favorites and original menu hits — a kind of farewell tour for loyal diners. 'We wanted to give enough time for everyone who supported us over the years to come in, for us to say thank you,' says Liendo. And the group's not done yet. A fourth restaurant is already in the works, though details are still under wraps. In the meantime, fans can take comfort in knowing that wherever the next EDO project lands, there will likely be bikinis, crunchy potato sticks, and eggshells filled with something delicious. See More: Vegas Restaurant Closings
Hamilton Spectator
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
McIntosh sets Canadian record in 800M freestyle
VICTORIA - Two Canadian Olympic medallists went head-to-head in a nail-biting 100-metre butterfly race, while Summer McIntosh of Toronto set a Canadian record in the 800-metre freestyle on Sunday at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria. Ilya Kharun of Montreal and Josh Liendo of Toronto squared off in the same race that saw them share a podium at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Kharun won in a personal best time of 50.37 seconds, touching the wall .09 ahead of Liendo. Both were well under the AQUA A qualifying time of 51.77 for this summer's world championships in Singapore. The 20-year-old Kharun was happy with the win but sees room for improvement. 'There's definitely some tweaks I can improve on,' said Kharun. 'I know it's not perfect yet. There's some things we've got to work on.' Liendo took silver in Paris, and Kharun the bronze. It was the first time two Canadian men stood on the Olympic podium together and first double podium for Swimming Canada since 1976 (Cheryl Gibson, Becky Smith — silver and bronze 400IM). McIntosh had a sellout crowd on its feet at Saanich Commonwealth Place cheering as she swam the 800 metres in 8:05.07. That shaved almost five seconds off her own Canadian record and was the third-fastest time ever, 0.95 of a second off the world record American legend Katie Ledecky set in May. 'I'm always hoping to break records and push the boundaries of sport,' said the 18-year-old, who set a world record in the 400-metre freestyle on Saturday's opening night. 'I'm always trying to be faster and faster. That just gives me more fuel to the fire.' Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett won his second event of the trials. The S14 swimmer with the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club won the men's 200-m multi-class freestyle event in 1:54.44. He earned a silver medal in the same race at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. 'It was really good,' said the 21-year-old from nearby Parksville, B.C., who won the men's 100-m multi-class breaststroke Saturday. 'We're right where we want to be.' Kylie Masse of Lasalle, Ont., also picked up her second victory of the meet by winning the 50-m backstroke in 27.24 seconds. Ingrid Wilm of the High Performance Centre-Vancouver celebrated her 27th birthday by finishing second in 27.58. Both swimmers were under the AQUA A qualifying time of 28.22. 'I've been enjoying doing it and putting a little more focus on it this year,' Masse said about the sprint race, in which she was the 2022 world champion. 'Every little detail counts, trying to execute it perfectly. It's really fast and really hard.' Earning a spot on the world championships team helped Wilm shake off the disappointment of finishing third in the 100-back Saturday night. That meant she didn't qualify for the event for the upcoming world championships after reaching the finals at the Paris Olympics. 'I was frustrated after (Saturday) night,' said the Calgary native. 'It's to my chagrin we have such a deep field here in Canada. I relied a lot on my teammates and my coaching staff and it just once again showed me just how many people have my back.' It was a bittersweet victory for Blake Tierney in the men's 50-m backstroke. The Saskatoon native who trains at the High Performance Centre-Vancouver won the race in personal best time of 25.23 seconds. That was over the AQUA A qualifying time of 25.11 but under Swimming Canada's secondary standard of 25.36. 'A lot of work needs to be done,' said Tierney, who has been dealing with an ankle issue. 'I couldn't do a lot of kicking, so that kind of messed with the confidence. I'm just doing the best I can. I'm really thankful I made the team.' Two-time Olympian Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., also won her second race of the meet but wasn't happy with her time. Harvey, who trains with Montreal's CAMO club, won the 100-m butterfly in 58.37 seconds, over the AQUA A qualifying time of 58.33 but under Swimming Canada's secondary time of 59.91. 'I'm going to be honest,' said Harvey, who won the 200 breaststroke Saturday. 'It was good practice for my individual medley.' Montreal's Eric Brown won the 1,500-m freestyle in 15:17.54. That was over both the AQUA A time of 15:01.89 and the Swimming Canada secondary standard of 15:10.91. In other Para swimming events, Reid Maxwell, an S8 Para swimmer from the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club, won the multi-class 400-m freestyle in 4:26.66. It was the same event in which the 17-year-old won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Canadian record time. 'It was a little slower than I wanted but I can't complain,' said Maxwell. 'I gave it everything I had.' Mary Jibb, an S9 swimmer from the Pacific Sea Wolves won the multi-class 400-m freestyle in 4:52.69. Emma Van Dyk, an S14 swimmer from the Brock Niagara Aquatics, was first in the women's 200-m multi-class freestyle in 2:23.78. Aly van Wyck-Smart, an S3 swimmer from Whitby Swimming, finished second in a Canadian record time of 4:48.05. During the morning heats S4 swimmer Jordan Tucker of Royal City Aquatics set a Canadian record of 4:03.87 in the S4 category. 'I'm blown away,' said Tucker. 'I'm very surprised but very hopeful I can keep breaking records.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
McIntosh sets Canadian record in 800M freestyle
VICTORIA – Two Canadian Olympic medallists went head-to-head in a nail-biting 100-metre butterfly race, while Summer McIntosh of Toronto set a Canadian record in the 800-metre freestyle on Sunday at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria. Ilya Kharun of Montreal and Josh Liendo of Toronto squared off in the same race that saw them share a podium at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Kharun won in a personal best time of 50.37 seconds, touching the wall .09 ahead of Liendo. Both were well under the AQUA A qualifying time of 51.77 for this summer's world championships in Singapore. The 20-year-old Kharun was happy with the win but sees room for improvement. 'There's definitely some tweaks I can improve on,' said Kharun. 'I know it's not perfect yet. There's some things we've got to work on.' Liendo took silver in Paris, and Kharun the bronze. It was the first time two Canadian men stood on the Olympic podium together and first double podium for Swimming Canada since 1976 (Cheryl Gibson, Becky Smith — silver and bronze 400IM). McIntosh had a sellout crowd on its feet at Saanich Commonwealth Place cheering as she swam the 800 metres in 8:05.07. That shaved almost five seconds off her own Canadian record and was the third-fastest time ever, 0.95 of a second off the world record American legend Katie Ledecky set in May. 'I'm always hoping to break records and push the boundaries of sport,' said the 18-year-old, who set a world record in the 400-metre freestyle on Saturday's opening night. 'I'm always trying to be faster and faster. That just gives me more fuel to the fire.' Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett won his second event of the trials. The S14 swimmer with the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club won the men's 200-m multi-class freestyle event in 1:54.44. He earned a silver medal in the same race at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. 'It was really good,' said the 21-year-old from nearby Parksville, B.C., who won the men's 100-m multi-class breaststroke Saturday. 'We're right where we want to be.' Kylie Masse of Lasalle, Ont., also picked up her second victory of the meet by winning the 50-m backstroke in 27.24 seconds. Ingrid Wilm of the High Performance Centre-Vancouver celebrated her 27th birthday by finishing second in 27.58. Both swimmers were under the AQUA A qualifying time of 28.22. 'I've been enjoying doing it and putting a little more focus on it this year,' Masse said about the sprint race, in which she was the 2022 world champion. 'Every little detail counts, trying to execute it perfectly. It's really fast and really hard.' Earning a spot on the world championships team helped Wilm shake off the disappointment of finishing third in the 100-back Saturday night. That meant she didn't qualify for the event for the upcoming world championships after reaching the finals at the Paris Olympics. 'I was frustrated after (Saturday) night,' said the Calgary native. 'It's to my chagrin we have such a deep field here in Canada. I relied a lot on my teammates and my coaching staff and it just once again showed me just how many people have my back.' It was a bittersweet victory for Blake Tierney in the men's 50-m backstroke. The Saskatoon native who trains at the High Performance Centre-Vancouver won the race in personal best time of 25.23 seconds. That was over the AQUA A qualifying time of 25.11 but under Swimming Canada's secondary standard of 25.36. 'A lot of work needs to be done,' said Tierney, who has been dealing with an ankle issue. 'I couldn't do a lot of kicking, so that kind of messed with the confidence. I'm just doing the best I can. I'm really thankful I made the team.' Two-time Olympian Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., also won her second race of the meet but wasn't happy with her time. Harvey, who trains with Montreal's CAMO club, won the 100-m butterfly in 58.37 seconds, over the AQUA A qualifying time of 58.33 but under Swimming Canada's secondary time of 59.91. 'I'm going to be honest,' said Harvey, who won the 200 breaststroke Saturday. 'It was good practice for my individual medley.' Montreal's Eric Brown won the 1,500-m freestyle in 15:17.54. That was over both the AQUA A time of 15:01.89 and the Swimming Canada secondary standard of 15:10.91. In other Para swimming events, Reid Maxwell, an S8 Para swimmer from the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club, won the multi-class 400-m freestyle in 4:26.66. It was the same event in which the 17-year-old won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Canadian record time. 'It was a little slower than I wanted but I can't complain,' said Maxwell. 'I gave it everything I had.' Mary Jibb, an S9 swimmer from the Pacific Sea Wolves won the multi-class 400-m freestyle in 4:52.69. Emma Van Dyk, an S14 swimmer from the Brock Niagara Aquatics, was first in the women's 200-m multi-class freestyle in 2:23.78. Aly van Wyck-Smart, an S3 swimmer from Whitby Swimming, finished second in a Canadian record time of 4:48.05. During the morning heats S4 swimmer Jordan Tucker of Royal City Aquatics set a Canadian record of 4:03.87 in the S4 category. 'I'm blown away,' said Tucker. 'I'm very surprised but very hopeful I can keep breaking records.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025.
