Toronto Titans Add Kayla Sanchez, Michael Chadwick to 2020-2021 ISL Roster

The Toronto Titans, one of 2 new teams joining the International Swimming League (ISL) for the 2020-2021 season, have announced 2 more additions to their opening roster.

Canadian Kayla Sanchez and American Michael Chadwick will join the Titans, adding to former World Record holder Kylie Masse, who was announced as the team’s first swimmer on Wednesday.

“Being the newest team in the league, we’re certainly starting as the underdogs. I’m sure a lot of the other teams and swimmers don’t know quite what to make of us. But when you look at quality of swimmers we are signing to our team, including stars like Michael Chadwick and Kayla Sanchez, along with Kylie Masse who we announced yesterday, I think the other teams are realizing we’re for real and we’re putting together an incredible team. Wait until you see the other names we’ll be announcing along side these three superstars! We’re going to be fast and we’re going to have fun being fast!” explained Rob Kent, Toronto Titans’ General Manager. 

Kayla Sanchez

Sanchez, who turns 19 in early April, was one of the breakout surprises in year 1 of the ISL season. Racing for the league champion Energy Standard club, she finished ranked in 13th place in MVP scoring, including putting up 52 points in the Las Vegas finale.

“It’s very exciting to be a part of the meets hosted by ISL because they create the best atmosphere for fast racing,” said Sanchez. “It’s also super cool being a part of a team from my city. LET’S GO TITANS!”

Sanchez picked up one event win in the opening season of the league, winning the 200 free in London in a time of 1:52.72. She was only 4th in that race in the finale, however, even though her 1:52.72 would’ve won the 200 free in Vegas.

Primarily a freestyler and IMer, Sanchez won 3 medals at the 2017 World Junior Championships, including 2 relay golds, individual silver in the 200 IM, and individual bronze in the 100 free. She was also on Canada’s 400 and 800 free relays at the 2019 World Championships where she picked up bronze medals. Sanchez owns 3 individual Canadian Records in short course meters: the 50 free (23.71), which was set in London last year during the ISL season; the 100 free (51.45) from 2018; and the 100 IM (57.80), which is a new event for the ISL lineup in season 2. Her times in the 100 free and 100 IM are Americas records as the fastest times set in the Americas region of FINA (which includes essentially all of the Western Hemisphere).

She leaves an Energy Standard team that has added some big names already this off-season, including Siobhan Haughey, Zsu Jakabos, and Jeremy Desplanches. Sanchez is the first announced defection from the defending champions.

Sanchez trains out of the High Performance Center in Toronto, where the Titans are based. Last season, that group all raced as a bloc with Energy Standard, aside from Taylor Ruck who has not yet given up her NCAA eligibility and turned pro.

Sanchez’s Best Times:

Michael Chadwick

Chadwick, meanwhile, becomes just the 2nd American in league history to announce as joining a non-American team, joining Gunnar Bentz, who swam for Budapest-based Iron last season.

Last season, Chadwick swam for the ISL’s 4th-ranked team LA Current and ranked 60th in league MVP scoring. He had his best meet in the U.S. derby event in Washington, scoring 29.5 points thanks to qualifying for the triple-points skins race final, as well as an LA Current win in the men’s 400 free relay where he anchored.

Chadwick spent most of the season as a middle-placement individual swimmer in the sprint freestyles and a big relay leg for the Current. While the Titans appear to be building their roster primarily on the backs of the deep home-nation women’s lineup, the Canadian men are particularly strong in the sprint freestyle events. In addition to national record holder Markus Thormeyer, the country also has Yuri Kisil and a rising teenager Josh Liendo to count among their men’s sprint ranks.

Brent Hayden, a 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the 100 free, has also been impressive in his comeback so far after a 7-year hiatus from competitive swimming.

Chadwick trains with 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Team head coach David Marsh at Team Elite in San Diego. Marsh spent last season as the head coach of the LA Current. While the Current had a number of members of the Team Elite pro training group last season, the New York Breakers also had a big chunk of that squad on their roster.

Chadwick swam only 50 and 100 freestyles in year 1 of the ISL.

Chadwick’s Lifetime Bests:

Toronto Announced Roster So Far