Ilya Kharun ran down world record-holder Caeleb Dressel on the final lap to win the 100m butterfly in 50.05sec at the US Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, on Thursday.
Kharun clocked the fastest time in the world this year to seize his second straight victory over Dressel this week, having bested the nine-time Olympic gold medallist in the 50m butterfly on Wednesday.
Dressel, who set the 100m fly world record of 49.45 on the way to Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, led at the turn but couldn't hold off Kharun – a bronze medallist for Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics who is changing his swimming allegiance to the United States this year.
"I knew Dressel was going to be always up there, but I knew that if I stuck with him I could get him at the end," Kharun told broadcaster NBC.
Kharun moved ahead of Paris Games gold medallist Kristof Milak of Hungary as the fastest in the world this year in the event.
Dressel, whose 100m free victory on Tuesday was his first individual win in a major meet since the 2024 US Olympic trials, finished second in 50.45sec – his fastest since 2024.