Under a brilliant blue sky, with temperatures soaring into the upper 30s Celsius, Canadian swimmers continued their preparations for the World Aquatics Championships at the Chukyo University outdoor swimming complex in Toyota, Japan.
Brent Arckey was walking briskly back and forth under a tented off area near the edge of the pool, waving his arm in the peripheral vision of Canada teen star Summer McIntosh as she powered her way through an arduous two-hour training session.
Arckey coaches McIntosh in Florida and is accompanying Team Canada to these worlds. The intensity of these last practices before the big show has hit a whole new level.
There is a sense of urgency to be sure as the 28-person Canadian team begins competition July 23. Last year's championships in Budapest saw Canadian swimmers win 11 medals, the country's most ever, and break five Canadian records. "Now it's about landing the plane," Arckey told CBC Sports. "All the work has been done and now it's time to deliver." It's a fitting metaphor from McIntosh's coach.