The Brazilian topped the men’s under-23 C1 1,000 metres podium after clocking a time of 4min 35.072sec on the water in Romania.

Queiroz Dos Santos, who won two silvers and a bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, held off the challenge of Russia’s Vladislav Chebotar and Cuban Arnold Castro in tough conditions.

After getting off the water, Queiroz Dos Santos said his focus is now on the senior World Championships being held in Racice in the Czech Republic next month.

“I’m really happy, the wind was very difficult, but it was OK,” he said.

“This competition is not the most important this year.

“It is for me preparation for the senior World Championships.

“But I am still very happy to win here.”

With the winds causing havoc, several golds were won by paddlers out in lane nine.

Among them were Argentina’s Agustin Venice in the men’s under-23 K1 1,000m and German duo Finn Eidam and Benedikt Bachmann in the men’s under-23 K2 1,000m.

China’s Hongzheng Li and Wenhua Chen also used the outside lane to their advantage to win the men’s under-23 C2 1,000m while Russians Ian Kavaliauskas topped the podium in the men’s junior C1 1,000m.

Elsewhere on the lake, there was more Chinese gold as Yanan Ma claimed the women’s junior C1 500m title.

It proved to be a good day for Germany as well with Jacob Schopf winning the men’s junior K1 1,000m gold before Jakob Kurschat and Jakob Thordsen bagged the men’s junior K2 1,000 crown.

Hungary also had a mini gold rush today with three victories.

Their women’s under-23 K4 500m team, consisting of Fruzsina Rackso, Agnes Szabo, Eszter Malcsiner and Zsofia Szenasi, won gold despite only beginning training together earlier this year.

The country also tasted success in the junior equivalent of the K4 500m as Anna Lucz, Karina Biben, Petra Kovacs and Zsoka Csikos paddled to victory.

The Hungarian’s good day was completed by Adam Slihoczki and Atilla Szoke as they won the men’s junior C2 1,000m title.

Australia’s Alyssa Bull, who competed at Rio 2016, topped the women’s under-23 K1 1,000m podium while Czech athlete Sofie Kinclova was victorious in the junior race.

Alena Nazdrova of Belarus claimed the women’s under-23 C1 500m gold.

Competition in Romania is set to be concluded tomorrow.