PADS paddlers grab silver, bronze at start of 16th IDBF tilt in Thailand
The two PADS para dragon boat teams proudly show the silver and bronze medals they earned on Tuesday during the opening of the 16th IDBF world championships in Thailand. | Photo from JP Maunes.
CEBU CITY, Philippines— The Philippine Accessible Disability Services Inc. (PADS) Dragon Boat Team opened their campaign with two medals in the 16th International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.
PADS earned a silver and a bronze in a single event, the 1,000-meter para-dragon boat 2 mixed category.
The mighty Canadian paddlers emerged as champions by clocking four minutes and 14 seconds, while PADS, representing the Philippines, finished second in 4:15. PADS’ second team took the bronze in 4:24 beating India, which trailed them at fourth place in 4:29.
Two squads from the United States finished fifth and sixth in 4:40 and 5:10, respectively.
According to PADS general manager JP Maunes, they’re expecting the Canadians to excel in the 1,000m race since it was one of their fortes.
Still, PADS remains optimistic as they’re scheduled to compete in the shorter distances which they’re very good at.
“Manoy jud ning Canada sa long distance races and they also fielded their national-abled paddlers, so kusog-kusog jud. They were the better team today,” Maunes told CDN Digital.
“It’s a good start nindot jud ni ingon ani na start para mas dasig ang atoang mga paddlers for more. I know makabawi ra ang team. Anad sila to win from behind.”
PADS has four more days of competition in the 16th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships.
In 2019, PADS harvested four gold medals in shorter distances, particularly the 200m small boat para dragon divisions one and two open categories and the 500m small boat para dragon divisions one and two. /rcg
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