Never before has Canada had four world champions in track and field heading into the Summer Games, but that's exactly the case now as athletes from across the country head to Montreal for the Olympic trials and 2024 Paralympic Games, looking to secure their place on Team Canada.

There you have it: there is depth and talent on the track and on the field.

Camryn Rogers and Ethan Katzberg are the world hammer throw champions. Marco Arop is the world champion in the 800 meters.

And Pierce LePage also won gold in the decathlon at the world championships last summer.

But CBC Sports has learned that LePage, who has only participated in one event this outdoor season, will not participate in the trials which will begin Wednesday and continue Sunday at the Claude Robillard Sports Complex.

Athletics Canada says LePage received a medical exemption to compete and, according to its own selection criteria document, that can only happen if an athlete has suffered an injury or illness.

Athletes wishing to be nominated for the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic team must participate in the trials; however, an athlete may be exempt from this requirement if they receive a written medical exemption from the Athletics Canada Medical Director.

“The CCA OCM will only grant medical exemptions to compete at the Canadian Championships if the athlete has suffered an injury or illness that prevents them from competing at the Championships,” Athletics Canada's document states.

LePage will not comment on his absence from the trials. This raises more questions about his health as Paris approaches.

SEE | LePage wins historic decathlon world title:

LePage withdraws from important Hypo meeting

In May, LePage left the Hypo Assembly in Götzis, Austria. This is an event in which many elite decathletes participate each year. He won the event last year. No reason was given at the time as to why LePage was not participating.

In early June, LePage competed in Guelph, Ontario, and clocked 51.70 seconds in the 400m, about five seconds shy of his personal best in that event.

LePage has overcome a series of injuries throughout his career, including a torn patella tendon in his left knee while winning silver at the 2022 World Championships.

Damian Warner is the reigning Olympic decathlon champion. He won a historic eighth Hypo title in May and appears to be in good form heading into the other Games.

There are several ways for athletes to qualify for the Olympic Games. The first and simplest is to reach the Olympic standard set by World Athletics. The second method is to use the World Athletics points-based scoring system.

But athletes still need to deliver world-class performances at trials to secure their place on the team; An official announcement is expected in the days following the tests.

De Grasse leads a star-studded cast

A group of renowned athletes will compete over the five days of competition, including six-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse.

Athletics Canada has divided the competition days into themed evenings, starting Wednesday with what they call “Heavy Metallic Evening,” which focuses on the hammer throw.

Then comes “Distance Night time”, Thursday with Moh Ahmed and Jean-Simon Desgagnes. Friday night in Montreal, the action heats up with “Velocity Night,” highlighted by Aaron Brown and De Grasse in the 100 meters. World indoor shot put champion Sarah Mitton will also look to defend her national title on Friday night.

Paraathletes Marissa Papaconstantinou and Austin Smeenk will also be on the track Friday.

On the penultimate day of competition, called “Family Day,” 800m world champion Marco Arop will attempt to make a statement to the rest of his competitors. And finally on Sunday, the last day of competition, De Grasse and Brown will face off for the 200 meter crown.

Paralympic shot put champion Greg Stewart, who came out of retirement, returns to competition on the final day with the goal of being part of another Canadian team at the Games.

Last week, the condition of the track at the Claude Robillard Sports Complex sparked some concern when Athletics Canada released a last-minute statement saying the Montreal Athletics Classic had to be moved.

Reports surfaced in Canadian Operating that the track “could not withstand the heat and humidity in Montreal this week, causing it to tear and bubble along the backstretch.”

However, repairs were made over the weekend and Athletics Canada is confident the event will go off without a hitch.

The athletics competitions in Paris begin in the second week of the Games.