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The best Portuguese canoe marathon paddler Jose Ramalho did not decide to end his sporting career, but at the age of 37 added new challenges to his life. He signed a contract with Prado Nautical Club to help young athletes reach the top level.

 

“Negotiations were easy because this is a club that wants to win and I want to win. Bringing these two wills together means this club can go even further. The personal goal is to win not only at competition but also in training. This club is still able to make a bigger leap in quality at national canoe sprint championships, marathon championships and more. I aim to be a national club champion because I believe this club is the right club to face CN Ponte de Lima. It's on the right track to regain the place it deserves,” said Ramalho who will now also compete for this club, “It would make no sense to be the coach of this club and compete for the other.”

 

Despite now being a technical coordinator his goals for sporting career stay high. Silver medallist of this year’s Canoe Marathon World Championships says, “We will have Ramalho always fighting, always to win. For the world title or whatever. Always with this goal and with it in my head. I work on it in my head, mind and heart, and my body just has to follow them. I still have much more to come. Sport is increasingly showing that older athletes are winning races and medals. Longevity is not the same as a few years ago. I feel in super form and I know that I still have a few more years to go.”