Under the sun shining outside the Stade Nautique Eugène Maës pool in Caen, France, on Friday morning, Canadian swimmers continued to stir the water, going back and forth exhaustively and putting the finishing touches to their preparation as the clock ticked down toward Paris 2024.

For a week now, the 28 Canadian swimmers who will participate in the Games have been stopping off in the French city before heading to Paris on Monday to enter the Athletes' Village.

Now things are getting serious and there is a palpable intensity around the pool.

“My goal is to be as prepared as possible and visualize what the first day will look like,” Summer Time McIntosh said.

“The Olympics create pressure, but that's part of the game.”

McIntosh, 17, is competing in her second Olympics. She was just 14 when she made her debut in Tokyo. At the time, she was the youngest swimmer on the team and remains the youngest on the team.

But a lot has changed in the last three years for the teenage swimming sensation. McIntosh has won four world championship titles and holds the world record in the 400-meter individual medley.

Many consider her one of the most talented swimmers in the world heading into the Olympics.

WATCH | McIntosh chats with Devin Heroux ahead of the Paris Olympics:

An intense Olympic program

McIntosh will compete in four individual events as well as relays. Managing an intense Olympic schedule and learning to conserve energy have been McIntosh's training goals.

“That says it all. Every day of training for the last two years I've been focused on managing what's going to be a nine-day swim meet and managing the days off.

McIntosh will be in the pool to represent Canada on the opening day of competition, scheduled for Saturday, July 27. She will compete in what is widely considered the most anticipated race of the Games, the women's 400-metre freestyle.

In this event, McIntosh will face American legend Katie Ledecky and Australian Ariarne Titmus. All three women held the world record in this event at one point. Last summer, at the world championships, the three competed. Titmus won convincingly, setting a world record in the race. Ledecky finished second and McIntosh fourth.

The Canadian was disappointed with the result and said she learned from it.

“I definitely learned from the past that you have to be ready from day one. [of the] “The playoffs are very important. That’s my goal right now. There will be big races that day,” he said.

McIntosh is joined by 27 other Canadian swimmers who are brimming with confidence. The Caen camp was important for several reasons: there is a deep connection to this community and to Canada.

The essential role of Canadian soldiers

Eighty years ago, Canadian soldiers played a key role in the liberation of the French town during the Second World War. There are Canadian flags everywhere in the community. And throughout the swim camp, locals came to the pool to support the team as they prepared for the Games.

On Thursday, the team traveled to Juno Beach in Normandy to pay tribute to the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms people enjoy today. It was an emotional experience for the athletes, who were taken through a tour of the Juno Beach Centre before walking along the beach.

“They're here to make their own history, but it's nice to reflect on the history here and the role Canadians played,” said John Atkinson, Swimming Canada's high performance director.

“Look at what Canada stands for and what we stand for. When we look at Canada’s role in the liberation of Caen, we will look to what the great Canadians did at the time.

Team Canada has won 55 Olympic medals in swimming in its history, ranking second only to athletics for the most Olympic medals won by Canadians in a summer sport.

The Canadian women have amassed 12 medals in total at the last two Olympics, the most medals in two Games in the country's history. Now the men on the team are looking to increase their medal count.

I seek to leave a mark

Josh Liendo is preparing to compete in his second Olympic Games. He knows he's hungry to be on the podium and believes he's ready to do so. Liendo has the world's best time in the 100m butterfly this season.

“Yes, I'm the target, but I'm still hunting. I love the competition. Now I have a different mentality. “I feel a little more comfortable,” he said.

“I have a lot more experience. I know what I want to do. “Three years ago, I didn't know what to expect.”

Liendo is also part of the men's 4×100 freestyle relay team looking to reach the podium after finishing fourth in Tokyo. He knows the team of Yuri Kisil, Finlay Knox, Javier Acevedo and himself is ready.

“Last time we finished fourth and I think this time we have a better team overall. I'm very excited. He may not be showing it at the moment. “I'm trying to stay calm,” Liendo said.

“I think if we can do something special on opening night, there’s no going back. We’ve always been very close. It’s about getting the job done. There’s accountability and a lot of trust. “I trust these guys and I know how much work they’ve put in.”

“We are ready.”

Oleksiak wants to add more medals

Canada's most decorated Olympian, Penny Oleksiak, who won seven medals at the previous two Games, will play a key role in Canada's relay success.

She says the goal is to increase her medal total and help Canada get on the podium.

“I feel really, really good. I feel really good when the clock is ticking. “I've been training at times I never thought I would, so I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do,” Oleksiak said.

“What can I do this time? Can I add more medals? I’m excited to try to add more, and doing it in relay is always better. “I’m excited to feel that adrenaline again and get that racing energy back.”

The swimming competition begins Saturday, July 27 and runs through Sunday, August 4 (CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBCSports.ca)