Inheriting an Olympic Vacancy: How Isaquias Queiroz secured his spot at the Paris Games

Isaquias Queiroz made it to the Olympics without even needing to enter the Duisburg lane this Sunday. The Olympic champion inherited a place at the Paris Games after having finished sixth in the C1 1,000m at the Canoe Sprint World Championship, just one place short of the classification zone on Saturday. A reallocation of vacancies of the Czech Martin Fuksa in the C2 500m resulted in the classification of the Brazilian. The vacancy inherited belongs to Brazil, but it should remain in the hands of Isaquias, who won the post.

Isaquias Queiroz finishes the C1 1000m final in sixth place at the Canoeing World Championship

– I remember very well that Sebastian Brendel and Jan Vandrey in 2016 had no vacancy and won the vacancy. And there arrived Olympic champions. Yuriy Cheban also didn’t have a vacancy on the C1 200, he won a vacancy, they donated it to him, he got there and was an Olympic champion. So why not gladly accept a vacancy like that? – said Isaquias.

Champion of the C1 1,000m, Martin Fuksa finished in eighth place in the C2 500m this Sunday alongside Petr Fuksa, closing the Olympic ranking zone for the doubles event. As each athlete can only win one place in Paris, Martin is allocated to the doubles boat – he can also compete in the C1 1000m at the Games. Thus, the vacancy of the Czech in the individual event passes to the highest ranked eligible athlete, precisely Isaquias Queiroz.

– I respect Isaquias too. We’ve been friends since the Junior category, for many years. We have a good rivalry, that’s good for the fans. I’m looking forward to new races. He won at the Olympics. I won here. Now, I’m better this year. In the coming years it may change, I hope not. I will do my best, again and again – said Fuksa.

1 of 1 Isaquias Queiroz at the Canoe Sprint World Championship in Germany — Photo: Fabio Canhete – Canoagem Brasileira Isaquias Queiroz at the Canoe Sprint World Championship in Germany — Photo: Fabio Canhete – Canoagem Brasileira

Having classified the C1 1,000m at the Duisburg World Cup, Isaquias will not be able to compete in the C2 500m at the pre-Olympics of the Americas next year. Brazil will have to climb a pair without the Olympic champion. If it wins the continental vacancy at C2, Brazil will have the option of sending three canoeists to Paris.

At the age of 29, Isaquias will compete in the Olympics for the third time. He has four Olympic medals — one gold (in Tokyo 2020), two silvers and one bronze (in Rio 2016). If he wins one more, next year, in Paris, Isaquias becomes the greatest Olympic medalist in the history of Brazil alongside Torben Grael and Robert Scheidt, both sailing and with five podiums.

At Worlds, Isaquias has 14 medals – seven gold, one silver and six bronze. The first, oddly enough, was in Duisburg, 10 years ago. In 2013, in Germany, the Bahia native from Ubaitaba won gold in the C1 500m and bronze in the C1 1,000m.

2023-08-27 11:32:35
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