PUERTO PRINCESA—Philippine paddlers made waves on Friday, winning four gold medals, along with silver and bronze against the scenic backdrop of Puerto Princesa Baywalk on the second day of the ICF World Dragon Boat World Championships here.
Under overcast skies but calm waters, the Philippine team began its winning streak with a decisive wire-to-wire victory in the standard boat mixed 200-meter finals, clocking in at 47.07 seconds.
The team beat out Canada (48.69) and the Individual Neutral Athlete squad, composed of Russian athletes (49.03), in the event backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Tingog party list.
The initial win set off a string of victories, with the Philippine women’s masters team following close behind by taking the gold in the 40+ 200-meter event in 49.41 seconds, edging out Czechoslovakia (50.84) and Hungary (52.12).
The Philippine men’s masters team secured another gold in the standard boat 200-meter event with a time of 49.01 seconds, while the women’s team added a fourth gold in 55.22 seconds in this world-class meet organized by the Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragon Boat Federation and the Puerto Princesa City government, led by Mayor Lucilo Bayron.
The Philippine team also took home silver in the men’s 20-seater standard boat open event with a time of 47.59 seconds and bronze in the women’s 20-seater 200-meter event, completing an impressive performance that celebrated the International Canoe Federation’s centennial anniversary.
“Ginawa lang namin ‘yung ginawa namin sa training with some slight changes. Huminga kami ng malalim, then tuluy-tuloy na. Kumbaga full throttle,” said national team skipper OJ Fuentes of the country’s first gold medal in the opening event of the day.
“Sa last 10 meters gitgitan na ‘yan,” added Fuentes. “Masaya kaming makakuha ng first gold pero hindi pa tapos ‘yung misyon namin. Umpisa pa lang ‘yan at hopefully, sunod-sunod na.”
uentes added that the team aims to match or even surpass the achievements of their predecessors, who took home five golds and two silvers in the 2018 Championships in Gainesville, Georgia.
The team looks forward to the mixed 200-meter finals on Saturday, after topping their semifinal heat in 52.06 seconds.
A win would bring them closer to qualifying for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, where dragon boat racing will debut as a medal sport in this quadrennial competition.
