QUEBEC CITY – Some of Canada’s brightest young swimmers will duel this week at the Canadian Age Group Championships, which commence Wednesday at the Laval University Sports and Physical Education Pavilion (PEPS) aquatics centre.

The meet, which is being held in Quebec City for the first time since the university made a significant investment in its two indoor pools, brings together club swimmers aged 12-17 from across Canada. Some 867 athletes from across the country aged are due to compete from Wednesday to Monday, including several with national team experience.

James Dergousoff, a rookie on the senior national team, enters with the fastest seed time in three events. The 18-year-old from Christina Lake, B.C., is the top seed in Friday’s boys 100-metre breaststroke, Saturday’s 200-m breaststroke and Sunday’s 200-m individual medley.

Markus Thormeyer, who competed in the Pan Am Games earlier this month, is seeded first in men’s 100-metre backstroke, which is slated for Thursday.

Tai Long Singh, 15, of the Winskill Dolphins Swim Club in Tsawwassen, B.C., will also debut at the 18-and-under level. Singh set provincial records at the 2014 Age Groups and also established a Canadian record in boys 14-and-under 100-m backstroke. Singh is seeded third for Wednesday’s 100-m butterfly. Another promising 15-year-old, Ruslan Gaziev of Etobicoke Swimming Club, could also challenge in that event.

Alexander Katelnikoff of Calgary’s Cascade Swim Club, who is only 14, is seeded second in 18-and-under 1,500-m freestyle. The only other swimmer his age with a top-20 seed time is Justin Konik, a Canadian who swims out of Buffalo, N.Y.

Danielle Hanus of Newmarket, Ont., who had a consistent showing at Team Canada Trials in April, and 16-year-old Meryn McCann of Toronto highlight a strong girls 18-and-under field. McCann and Hanus are seeded 1-2 in 200-m backstroke. Hanus also owns the fastest seed time in 100-m backstroke and 200-m individual medley.

An East-West matchup shapes up in girls 1,500-m freestyle. Olivia Anderson, 16, of Toronto, is seeded first ahead of Sophia Saroukian, 17, of Edmonton.

Two 15-year-olds, Victoria’s Molly Gowans and Red Deer’s Rebecca Smith, are also seeded 1-2 for Saturday’s 18-and-under girls 200-m freestyle.

Monday’s final day of competition also includes the open-water races at Lac Beauport, north of the city. Twenty-six swimmers in the age 12-13 division, including 16 girls, are entered to swim a challenging 2.5-km course.

Many swimmers will also do a fast turnaround to compete in the Canadian Swimming Championships that take place Aug. 6-9 at Pointe-Claire, Quebec, outside Montreal.