QUEIROZ dos SANTOS Isaquias

General
RIVALRY
Throughout his career he has had a competitive rivalry with German sprint paddler Sebastian Brendel, who beat him in the C1 1000m final at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Brendel also won gold at the world championships in 2018 and 2017 while Queiroz claimed bronze. "Since 2013 I have always found a stone in my way, which is him. But that is an inspiration for me, knowing there is someone in front that I need to beat. If I had won all the world championships I would have said that I would not have anything else to win, not a single goal." In 2017 he named his first son, Sebastian, after Brendel. "He was so surprised. I am fan of him not only as an athlete but as a person as well. He is very charismatic and a good person, so I named my son after him because of the person he is and also for his career." (esportefera.com.br, 25 Aug 2017; bahianoticias.com.br, 09 Oct 2018)

LATE COACH
In November 2018 his Spanish former coach Jesus Morlan died of a brain tumour. "He was a great man, he loved Brazil. He was not just a coach, he was like a father to me." His ambition of winning seven Olympic medals is inspired by Morlan. "That was his dream and it is my goal now." (globoesporte.globo.com, 02 Sep 2019, 11 Nov 2018; olimpiadatododia.com.br, 07 Aug 2020)

TOUGH CHILDHOOD
At age three a pot of boiling water fell on him, burning a significant part of his body. He had to stay in hospital for over a month. Two years later, he was kidnapped and offered for adoption before his mother managed to get him back. At age 10 he fell out of a tree after trying to catch a snake and lost a kidney. (uol.com.br, 14 Jul 2015; globo.com, 20 Dec 2013)

He became the first Brazilian athlete of any sport to win three medals of any colour at a single edition of the Olympic Games when he claimed two silvers [in C1 1000m and C2 1000m] and one bronze [in C1 200m] at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (timepetrobras.com.br, 19 Jul 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 25 Mar 2020)

He became the first Brazilian sprint paddler of either gender to win a medal at the Olympic Games when he claimed silver in the C1 1000m at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (SportsDeskOnline, 18 Aug 2016)