VANCOUVER – After three dominant seasons with the UBC Thunderbirds men's swimming program, Yuri Kisil has decided to put school on hold in order to turn pro and focus solely on his preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
 
The 22-year-old from Calgary, ALTA who specializes in the 50m and 100m freestyle is heading east to Toronto where he'll join the National Performance Centre and train under the tutelage of coach Ben Titley. Kisil who's appropriately nicknamed "the missile" will be looking to add to an already decorated international resume after making a huge impact at the U SPORTS level over three seasons with the storied T-Birds swimming program.


 
The 6-foot-6 arts student was instrumental in leading the T-Birds to three U SPORTS National Championships (2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18) while distinguished as a three-time Sprinter Cup winner, having won both the 50m and 100m FR at each of those three Championships. Kisil's standout performances and consistency were recognized across the country as a two-time U SPORTS male swimmer of the year recipient (2016-17, 2017-18) and was also honored with the prestigious Bus Philips memorial award in 2016, handed out to UBC's top male athlete of the year.


 
"I had an amazing experience being involved with UBC and its swimming program," said Kisil just before heading to Toronto. "It helped me to progress as an athlete, and I made many lifelong friends. I loved my time here, I'm very grateful for the opportunities provided and it's a time in my life that I'll never forget."
 
Kisil went on to elaborate on what helped him enjoy so much success as a Thunderbird.
 
"The great coaching staff and my teammates pushing me every day in the pool really helped me achieve my goals. Every day I came to the pool I knew If I wanted to win a set I would have to give it my all and that really helped me push myself at each practice."
 
Long-time UBC swimming head coach and three-time defending U SPORTS coach of the year Steve Price says Kisil will be missed because he was a special athlete and teammate.
 
"Yuri helped elevate the program to great heights in his three seasons on the Men's Varsity team as evidenced by the three national titles he was a big part of," said Price. "He was an integral part of our relays and led our men by winning the U-Sport "Male Swimmer of the Year" the last two seasons. Yuri took on a leadership role at the Championship competitions, supported his teammates to perform their best and injected lots of fun in the pursuit of the U-Sport titles. Yuri will be missed as a popular teammate and the guys know they will need to step up this season to his shoes. I want to thank Yuri for his time as a Thunderbird and wish him the best of luck as he pursues his international aspirations at the National Performance Center. Once a T-Bird always a T-Bird and we are excited for his future in this sport."


 
A rising star on the international scene, Kisil has made a splash in several pools across the continent, most recently in winning his first individual international hardware, a bronze medal in the 50m FR this past August at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
 
Kisil has competed on the world's biggest stage, representing Canada at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio, Brazil where he made it to the 100-m freestyle where he finished 10^th. He also swam the second leg of the 4x100m freestyle relay that finished seventh.


 
Other international stops for Kisil included the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary where he earned a bronze medal in each of the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay and the 4x100 medley relay. At the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia Kisil was a part of the inaugural 4x100m mixed relay team which earned a bronze medal and a new Canadian record.
 
Kisill has also globetrotted to Glasgow, Scotland and Queensland, Australia where he narrowly missed podium finishes at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. As a young man on home soil Kisil laid claim to a silver medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto on the strength of his strong final leg of the 4x100m FR.
 
"My goals going forward are to get better at the sport," added Kisil. "I have certain times I want to achieve and still tons of accomplishments that I have yet to check off my list. My main goal moving into the 220 Olympics though is to make it onto the podium."


 
While Kisil looks to thrive in the next chapter of his career, his presence and competitiveness will no doubt be missed by the T-Birds as they enter another season with a tough act to follow. The Program has seen significant turnover for 2018-19 but is excited to welcome a talented group of new recruits who'll strive towards claiming men's and women's U SPORTS titles for a third consecutive year.
 
The T-Birds swim team season is officially underway and the group looks to keep the winning tradition alive and well, culminating with UBC hosting the 2019 National Championships in late February.