Olympics-Canoe Sprint-Pride of Brazil keeps three-medal bid alive

08/18/2016 9:05

Aug 18 (Reuters) - Home country hero Isaquias Queiroz dos Santos's bid to win three medals at this year's Games stayed on course on Thursday in a dramatic finish to the men's C-1 200-meter race, when he fell overboard at the finish and claimed bronze.

Ukraine's Iurii Cheban took gold in 39.279 seconds with Valentin Demyanenko of Azerbaijan clinching silver just 0.214 seconds behind.

Queiroz dos Santos, 22, beloved among fans here at the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, trailed for much of the race.

His quest to claim a spot on the podium in three events this year seemed all but lost as he got off to a rough start at the unforgiving 200-meter distance.

A daring bid in the last stretch sent him soaring over the finish line and, ultimately, into the water, two days after he took silver in the men's C-1 1000-meter race.

Queiroz dos Santos was not the only athlete going for a swim today. Cheban, 30, took a seemingly unanticipated dive into the lagoon at the finish line as well.

Cheban, who also took gold in the event at the 2012 Games, raised his arms in triumph and cheered while treading water as he saw his name appear at the top of the results board.

Queiroz dos Santos returns tomorrow to compete in the men's canoe double 1000-meter heat. (Reporting By Amy Tennery in Rio de Janeiro; editing by Clare Lovell)

08/18/2016 9:05