Team Philippines rules ICF Dragon Boat World Championships

Sports

FILIPINO paddlers defended their home turf when they snatched the overall championship of the recent ICF Dragon Boat World Championships on Sunday at the Puerto Princesa Baywalk in Palawan.

Team Philippines sealed its championship finish on Sunday, November 3, by finishing the four-day competition with a haul of 11 gold medals, 20 silvers, and 16 bronzes.

The Filipinos capped the final day of the competition with a harvest of two golds, five silvers, and two bronzes.

The competition was also participated by 26 other teams.

The host team ruled the masters mixed 20-seater standard boat 500-meter race in two minutes and 6.34 seconds. Singapore (2:06.73) came in second followed by Germany (2:07.98) in the competition organized by the Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragon Boat Federation (PCKDF).

Team Philippines also dominated the 40+ 20-seater women's 2,000-meter standard boat event (10:42.31) with Canada (10:48.64) finishing second.

The Filipinos’ remarkable run saw them surpass their eight-medal finish in the tournament’s 2018 edition that was held in Georgia.

The PHilippine team was composed of veteran paddlers from the Philippine Army Dragon Boat Team and Philippine Air Force. Up next for the team is the 2025 Southeast Asian Games sa Thailand.(CCM)