'It's here and it's now': Golden generation of Canadian swimming on display at 2023 trials

At the place dubbed the fastest pool in the country, Canada's top swimmers are once again gathering at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre for Swimming Canada's flagship event, the national trials.

And for the first time since 2019 fans will be allowed to attend the trials — more than 2,000 have already been sold for the six-day event beginning Tuesday that goes towards selecting teams for the world aquatics championships, world para swimming championships, world junior swimming championships and the Pan Am Games.

Preliminary heats are at 9:30 a.m. ET each day, with finals sessions set for 6 p.m. All sessions are being streamed live on CBC Sports digital platforms. Live streams can be watched via the free CBC Gem streaming service, at cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices.

More than 620 athletes from 148 clubs across Canada are in action this week — this event is signaling the start of preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

And there is unparalleled talent and depth within the Canadian swimming program right now. The team won an historic 14 medals at the world championships in Budapest last summer. The women's program continues to thrive while the men are making inroads and are prepared to compete with the best in the world.

WATCH | Montreal's Ilya Kharun a name to watch at Canadian swimming trials:

High performance director John Atkinson says there is momentum and confidence in the pool.

"I think it's here and it's now," Atkinson said.

"It is a golden era of Canadian swimming. It is everything that people say it is."

There are two noticeably absent names left off the competition list, however, this week. Canada's most decorated Olympian Penny Oleksiak is still recovering