By Canadian Press

Looking ahead to Los Angeles: 10 Canadian athletes to watch for 2028 Olympics

Aug 12, 2024 | 2:34 PM

The Paris Games are over and the Summer Olympics torch is moving on to Los Angeles in 2028.

After Summer McIntosh and Andre De Grasse headlined Canada’s team in Paris, who might be some athletes to watch in four years?

Here are 10 Canadians to look out for over the next quadrennial:

SUMMER MCINTOSH — SWIMMING

Yes, the Paris Games were coined as the “summer of Summer” in Canada, and that could very well be the case again in Los Angeles with the Toronto swimmer only 17 years old.

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McIntosh won a Canadian record three gold medals (400-metre medley, 200 butterfly, 200 IM), added one silver (400 freestyle) and set two Olympic records in Paris. She’ll be 21 and poised to bring home more hardware from Los Angeles.

ILYA KHARUN — SWIMMING

Kharun also broke out in Paris by earning bronze medals in the 100 and 200 fly, becoming the first Canadian male swimmer to reach the Olympic podium since London 2012. The 19-year-old from Montreal was raised in Las Vegas as the son of Cirque du Soleil performers. He and 21-year-old Josh Liendo of Toronto, who claimed silver in the 100 fly, should still be in their primes in 2028.

CHRISTOPHER MORALES WILLIAMS — SPRINTING

Morales Williams was a rising track star in 2024, winning NCAA indoor and outdoor 400-metre titles for the University of Georgia. The 20-year-old from Maple, Ont., had the third fastest time this year before the Paris Games at 44.05 seconds, a Canadian record, but didn’t qualify for the Olympic final. With one Olympics under his belt, he could come back with more experience in L.A.

ERIN BROOKS — SURFING

Brooks was a Canadian medal hope for Paris after winning a silver medal at the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games and gold at the 2022 ISA World Junior Championships, but failed to qualify for the Olympics. The 17-year-old was eliminated at the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games, the final Olympic qualifier, in March. The U.S.-born Brooks won a battle for Canadian citizenship earlier this year.

ETHAN KATZBERG — HAMMER THROW

The closing ceremony flag-bearer alongside McIntosh, Katzberg is already the Olympic gold medallist in men’s hammer throw. But at 22 years old, he has the potential to be back on top of the podium in four years. Katzberg, from Nanaimo, B.C., crushed the field with an 84.12-metre throw in Paris and has ambitions of becoming the third man to break 86.

SYLA SWORDS — BASKETBALL

Named to the women’s basketball team in Paris, Swords became the youngest Canadian Olympic basketball player at 18 years old. The six-foot forward from Sudbury, Ont., averaged 3.3 points in 14.6 minutes in Paris. She’s heading to the University of Michigan for the upcoming season. Toby Fournier, headed to Duke, is also a name to look out for.

SOPHIA JENSEN — CANOEING

Jensen placed sixth in the women’s C-1 200 metres in Paris, 0.96 behind teammate and gold medallist Katie Vincent, who’s 28. The 22-year-old Jensen of Chelsea, Que., is considered a rising canoeing star and could carry the torch from Vincent in Los Angeles.

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER — BASKETBALL

Oklahoma City Thunder star Gilgeous-Alexander is already widely considered Canada’s best men’s basketball player. The NBA MVP candidate from Hamilton will be 30 by the time the Los Angeles Games roll around and hungry to avenge Canada’s quarterfinal loss to France in Paris. He averaged 24.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists in the tournament.

SAVANNAH SUTHERLAND — HURDLES

Sutherland, 21, was the youngest hurdler to reach the women’s 400-metre final in Paris. She finished seventh in a final that featured Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the United States setting a world record of 50.37 seconds. Sutherland, from Borden, Sask., holds the Canadian record of 53.26.

AURORA CORDINGLEY — LACROSSE SIXES

Cordingley is a potential athlete for a new sport at the L.A. Olympics: lacrosse sixes. The 25-year-old from Oakville, Ont., helped Canada claim gold in the discipline with a team-leading 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in five games at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Ala. Her younger sister, 18-year-old Dacia, is also aiming to make Canada’s team in 2028.

Baseball/softball, flag football, T20 cricket and squash will also be new or returning sports in Los Angeles.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2024.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press