Isaquias Queiroz, athlete of the year in Brazil

Canoeist Isaquías Queiroz has been chosen by the Brazilian Olympic Committee as the best athlete of Brazil during 2015.

After his two medals at the World Championships in Milan (gold in C2 1000 and bronze in C1 200) and the three golds at the PanAmerican Games in Toronto, the new pupil of Suso Morlán won the voting over the tennis player Marcelo Melo and the beach volleyball couple Alison and Bruno.

"I thank God and my coach (Morlán) for this achievement. Without him I wouldn't be the athlete that everyone knows nor reach the big goals I'm reaping" were his first remarks after the news were known.

Queiroz, who everything seems to indicate that will attempt at the Olympics in Rio to get three medals (C1 200 and C1 and C2 over 1,000), adds a new step in its relentless rise to sports stardom, not only within the world of the canoeing, but general sport and Olympism in his country.

Brazil, Panamerican Sprint champion at Rio de Janeiro

Last weekend it was held at Rio de Janeiro, at the venue that will be olympic in 2016, the Panamerican Sprint Chamionship, where Brazil claimed nations title over Argentina and Chile. In addition, Brazil also took gold in future paralympic discipline of Paracanoe.

During three days, 150 paddlers from eight countries (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Canada, Ecuador, Venezuela and Puerto Rico) competed at Lake Rodrigo de Freitas. The main stars of the event were the Brazilian C2 of Erlon Silva and Ronilson Oliveira, who won both 1.000 (discipline where they will be representing Brazil at London's Games) and 200 with a comfortable difference over Chile and Venezuela. As Oliveira said, "every competition is a step more in our evolution and these championships have being a great test in our preparation for London". The couple will start in May, as many other Americans qualyfied for London, their European tour which includes the three World Cups at Poznan, Duisburg and Moscow and will finish in June with a stage in Portugal.