The trials serve as a ticket to this summer’s World Championships, the fall Pan American Games and other international events forming part of the Olympic and Paralympic qualifying process for the 2024 Paris Games.

Here are the stories that will follow during the Canadian trials.

Summer McIntosh, the headliner

At just 16, Summer McIntosh is Swimming Canada’s new darling.

After making her debut at the Tokyo Games at the age of 14, she became an international star at the last World Cups. She won two titles there, the 200m butterfly and the 400m individual medley. She became the first Canadian swimmer to win two gold medals at the same championships.

At age 15, McIntosh also became the youngest Canadian swimmer to be crowned world champion. She finished the event with four medals.

Expect a record to be broken every time she jumps in the pool. On Tuesday evening, the Ontarian also set a world mark in the 400 m freestyle. She holds the Canadian record in five different events. She’s already establishing herself as one of the most accomplished swimmers in the history of the country without even getting her driver’s license!

The rise of two teenagers

Though older than McIntosh, 17-year-old Ella Jansen and 18-year-old Ilya Kharun are Canadian hopefuls and strong contenders for the podium.

Kharun’s story is interesting. Born in Montreal, he moved to Las Vegas at a young age with his parents, who were acrobats with Cirque du Soleil.

He swam for the Nevada Sandpipers swim club and believed he could represent the United States on the international stage. But after realizing he needed a US passport, which he doesn’t have, he joined the Canadian team.

Kharun made his maple leaf debut at the World Short Course Championships in Australia in late 2022. He won a silver medal in the 100m butterfly and another bronze medal in the relay. In early March, he set a national record in the 200m butterfly at a competition in Florida.

Jansen narrowly missed qualifying for the World Cup last year but did qualify for the Commonwealth Games. She reached two finals at those Games and also helped Canada to silver in the 4 x 200m freestyle and bronze in the 4 x 100m freestyle.

Jansen was recently voted Revelation of the Year 2022 by Swimming Canada.

Two great absentees

Penny Oleksiak retired from competition earlier this month because she was not yet fit enough to reach her highest level.

The seven-time Olympic medalist underwent surgery last August to repair a torn meniscus in her left knee. His rehabilitation was marred by complications in the other knee and one shoulder. No specific date was given for his return to competition.

Her absence from the trials doesn’t mean she won’t be world champion in Japan in July, but Oleksiak wants to reach her highest level for the Paris Games.

Taylor Ruck is the other major absence from these trials after announcing her retirement from competition on Sunday.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist said she needed a break after her NCAA season, which saw her win another gold in the 200m freestyle and help Stanford to three silver medals in the relay.

Ruck plans to reunite with the Canadian team during a training camp in May, but his appearance at this summer’s World Championships remains unknown.

THE veterans always in the loop

At 27, backstroke specialist Kylie Masse is one of the oldest national players. She has eight world medals, one just under Oleksiak’s Canadian record. She has four Olympic medals to her name, including three in individual competitions.

Reigning Olympic champion in the 100m butterfly, Maggie MacNeil, will this summer attempt to capture the world title in the event she won in 2019. Last year she withdrew from the individual competitions at the World Championships due to exhaustion.

MacNeil won the NCAA 50 freestyle title with Louisiana State University that season.

Joshua Liendo, 22, stood out at the last World Championships with his three medals, including two bronzes in solo. The 2022 Male Swimmer of the Year has won five medals this season with the University of Florida.

Aurélie Rivard, five-time Paralympic champion, wants to qualify for the Para Swim Worlds held in England. She’s hoping to swell her crop of four world titles, just like Nicolas-Guy Turbide, crowned in the S13 100m backstroke.

The Canadian swimming tests will continue until Sunday.