There are about 800 volunteers working to help make the 13th FINA World Swimming Championships in Windsor a success, including a number who travelled a long way for the opportunity.
Charles van Impe came all the way from Belgium to attend the event. He lives in the town of Overijse, which is about 20 minutes southeast of the country's capital Brussels.
Charles van Impe from Overijse, Belgium, about 20 minutes outside of Brussels, is one of 800 volunteers in Windsor for the 13th FINA World Swimming Championships. Photo taken December 2, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
The star power in Windsor during the championships helped entice van Impe to cross the Atlantic.
"I think we were all hoping to see Michael Phelps," says van Impe. "We have our Belgian swimmers that come here as well like Pieter Timmers."
The university student arrived through Detroit about two weeks before the start of the championships and has enjoyed his time in Windsor.
"People are super friendly. It's so nice. There's a lot of open space which we don't see much in Europe," says van Impe.
The trip to Windsor has van Impe wanting to see more of Canada.
"I'll probably come back to Canada [to] make a trip around Canada because people are so nice, the culture is very nice and the nature is very nice," says van Impe.
The championships are set to end on December 11.
Van Impe still has plans to visit Niagara Falls, Toronto and parts of Michigan before making it back home to Belgium just in time for Christmas — and as he puts it — with a serious case of jet lag.
