Kayla’s Bio

• Pronounced KIE-lah
• After the 2022 FINA World Championships, Sanchez,, who was born in Singapore to Filipino parents and grew up in the Scarborough, Ont., announced she would seek to represent the Philippines.
• At the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Sanchez reached the podium in three relays with silver in the women’s 4×100-m freestyle, the Canadian record-breaking mixed 4×100 freestyle, and bronze in the women’s 4×200 freestyle. She swam in the preliminaries for the 4×100-m medley relay that went on to earned bronze. Individually, Sanchez finished sixth in the 100-m freestyle and swam the 50-m freestyle preliminaries, but scratched her semifinal to focus on the relays.
• At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Sanchez was a member of the women’s 4×100-m freestyle that captured silver, Canada’s first medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Sanchez swam personal bests in both the preliminaries and the final for the 4×100-m freestyle. Sanchez was also a part of the 4×200-m freestyle relay that broke the Canadian record and placed fourth.
• At the same event, Sanchez swam freestyle in the preliminaries for the women’s 4×100-m medley that went on to capture bronze. Individually, Sanchez finished 18^th in the 100-m freestyle in a personal best time and 22^nd in the 50-m freestyle.
• At the 2021 FINA World Championships (25m), Sanchez was a member of the mixed 4×50-m freestyle and the women’s 4×100-m and 4×200-m freestyle that won gold and broke the Canadian record. Sanchez also swam the freestyle leg of the 4×100-m medley that captured gold in Canadian record time. She was also a member of the 4×50-m medley team that lowered the Canadian record and finished fourth. Individually, Sanchez finished fifth in the 100-m freestyle and 11^th in the 100-m individual medley.
• At the Gwangju 2019 FINA World Championships, Sanchez was a member of the women’s 4×100-m and 4×200-m freestyle teams that captured bronze and broke the Canadian records.
• Sanchez was a member of the 4×100-m and 4×200-m freestyle relays that took home bronze at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. Individually, Sanchez finished fifth and sixth in the 200-m and 100-m freestyle. She also finished seventh in the 50-m freestyle, achieving personal bests in both the 50-m and 200-m freestyle.
• At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Sanchez was a member of the 4×100-m and 4×200-m freestyle relay teams that brought home silver. Individually, Sanchez finished sixth in the 50-m freestyle and seventh in the 100-m freestyle, personal bests in both events.
• At the 2022 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials, Sanchez won gold in the 50-m and the 100-m freestyle. Sanchez also placed fourth in the 200-m freestyle. Her performances qualified her for the 2022 FINA World Championships and the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
• At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Trials, Sanchez won gold in the 50-m freestyle. Sanchez also captured silver in the 100-m freestyle. Her performance qualified Sanchez for her first Olympic Games.
• At the 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials, Sanchez finished third in the 100-m and 200-m freestyle, qualifying her for the 2019 FINA World Championships.
• Kayla Sanchez earned a silver in the 200-m freestyle at the 2018 Canadian Swimming Trials, qualifying her for the Pan Pacific Championships.
• At the 2017 FINA World Junior Championships in Indianapolis, Sanchez won two gold medals in the women’s 4×100-m and 4×200-m freestyle relay. She also added two individual medals including a silver in 200-m individual medley and a bronze in the 100-m freestyle.
• At the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Sanchez was a member of the women’s 4×100-m freestyle relay that finished fourth. She also swam the preliminaries for the women’s 4×200-m freestyle.
• At the 2017 Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria, Kayla Sanchez earned a spot on her first national team with a bronze medal finish in the 200-m freestyle in a personal best time.
• At the Indianapolis stop of the 2017 Arena Pro Swim Series, Sanchez finished second in the 200-m freestyle.
• During the Austin leg of the 2017 Arena Pro Swim Series, she had three top-three finishes, including second in the 100-m freestyle
• At the 2016 Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Kihei, Maui, Sanchez was a member of the 4×100-m freestyle relay team that won a silver medal.
• 2019 ISL team: Energy Standard

Quick facts

• Instagram: @kaylasanchez_
• Favourite Book: Divergent
• Favourite TV Show: Bob’s Burgers
• Favourite Actor: Theo James
• Other Sport: Volleyball
• Pre-race meal: Banana
• Superhero: Batman