RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Local hero Cesar Cielo believes Brazil is on track for its best ever Olympic swimming performance at the Rio 2016 Games.

Cielo, who won the 50m freestyle gold at the 200 Beijing Games, said Wednesday that next year's FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, would provide an accurate gauge of Brazil's progress.

His comments came after Brazil finished fourth at August's Pan Pacific Championships in Australia before topping the medal table at the Short Course World Championships in Qatar earlier this month.

"It's been a great year," Cielo told Rio2016.com. "We made history at the short course worlds and are heading for the FINA World Championships."

Cielo, who also has two Olympic bronze medals, was adamant the best is yet to come for Brazil's swimmers.

Among other Rio 2016 medal hopefuls are Thiago Pereira -- the 400m medley silver medallist in London -- and breaststroke and medley specialist Felipe Franca, Brazil's top performer in Qatar with five gold medals.