CEBU DRAGONBOAT BOAT FESTIVAL 2017 Dragonboat paddlers compete for the 500m. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
CEBU DRAGON BOAT FIESTA 2017
The Philippine Navy Dragon Boat Team has been a dominant force since its inception in the 1990s. Years have passed but the team has remained a tough nut to crack as shown in the Cebu Dragon Boat Fiesta 2017, which ended yesterday at the Cebu Yacht Club in Lapu-Lapu City.
Sgt. Suhod Hakim, the coach of the 49-member team, said commitment to improve is the reason why the team has been very successful.
“We see to it that we have enough training,” said Hakim, one of the pioneering members of the team.
In the recent competition, the team dominated the Women’s 500m Small Boat, the 250m Open Elite and the Women’s 250m Small Boat.
It was the fourth competition that the team took part in this year alone. The team is planning to join an international competition in Macau or China this month.
The 47-year-old Hakim said the team trains six days a week. It includes weight training and swimming at the Bonifacio Naval Station in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Also, they also play basketball, football, cycling, volleyball and tug-of-war as part of their cross-training during the offseason.
Hakim said the team got tested in the recent event.
“The competition was good. We didn’t expect there are a lot of strong paddlers,” said Hakim.
Hakim advised dragonboat teams to train more for them to improve.
“They already have the technique, but they still have to invest more time on practice,” he said.