A (non-swimming) guide to the World Aquatics Championships

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One of the premier events on the road to next summer's Paris Olympics begins Friday: the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

As always, swimming is the main attraction of this meet. And Canadian fans are especially excited this time to catch another glimpse of teenage sensation Summer McIntosh as she prepares for her first real shot at Olympic gold(s).

But competition in the swimming pool doesn't get started for another week and a half. So, for now, let's take a look at some of the other sports where Canadians are looking to make (or not make) a splash.Diving (July 14-22) Chinese athletes won all 13 diving gold medals at last year's world championships in Hungary and went 7-for-8 at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. With several of its world and Olympic champions returning for these worlds, there's no reason to believe China's iron grip on this sport won't continue.

Still, there's room for Canada to carve out a few medals. Among the contenders is Mia Vallée, a 22-year-old Quebecoise who won two of Canada's three diving medals at last year's world championships in Budapest. She captured silver in the women's 3-metre springboard and bronze in the women's 1m (a non-Olympic event) to become the first Canadian woman to reach multiple solo diving podiums at the same world championships. Vallée will compete in those same individual events in Japan and also partner with Pamela Ware in the women's 3m synchronized competition. 

Ware, 30, is a three-time world-championship medallist who fell on hard times at the Tokyo Olympics, failing to advance to the 3m final after aborting a dive and jumping into the water feet first. She took time away from competition, including last year's worlds, to work on the mental side of the sport before returning in May at a World Cup stop in Montreal. Ware grabbed three medals there, including silver in the solo 3m and a bronze with Vallée in their first 3m synchro event together. "I just showed that I'm back," Ware said.

Read more about the Canadians to watch at the World Aquatics Championships in this story by CBC Sports' Devin Heroux. Follow Devin's poolside updates from Japan on Twitter.