'It all starts here': Olympic champion 4x100m relay team begins journey to world championships

Last year's Paris Olympics provided some incredible moments for Canadian track, arguably none more thrilling than the gold-medal victory in the men's 4x100-metre relay final.

This weekend, that team of Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney, and Jerome Blake is back where their journey to Olympic gold began, the World Athletics Relays, and are eager to once again use the event as a launching pad.

This year's meet in Guangzhou, China, provides a direct pathway to the big event on this season's competition calendar: the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.

Relay teams can qualify a spot at worlds by reaching their respective finals in Guangzhou.

"It's super important. It all starts here in World Relays in China," De Grasse said. "The main objective for us [is to] make sure that we qualify … so that we are at the world championships when it matters."

Watch all the action from World Athletics Relays beginning on Saturday at 7 a.m. ET on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. Click here for the full broadcast schedule.

After the highs reached by Canadian track athletes in Paris, there wasn't much time for them to catch their breath before the build toward the world championships. Canadian head coach Glenroy Gilbert says this weekend's competition is the perfect place for his athletes to zero in on the season ahead.

"You're always driving towards the benchmark event," Gilbert said. "We're just coming off an Olympic year, so athletes' focus or drive [and] determination wanes a little bit because of the whole Olympic high."

WATCH | De Grasse on expectations for the relay team: 

Andre De Grasse on world relays, and expectations for the team

Canada will be looking to qualify men's and women's teams in both the