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| Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragon Boat Federation (PCKDBF) president Leonora Escollante (center) celebrates with the Philippine team which won the overall title in the 2024 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Dragon Boat World Championships in Puerto Princesa, Palawan last November 3, 2024 with eleven gold, twenty silver and eight bronze medals. (Image Source: ABS-CBN News/Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragon Boat Federation) |
The 2024 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Dragonboat World Championships hosted in the Philippines and held last October 30-November 3, 2024 at the Puerto Princesa City Baywalk in Palawan, Philippines not only celebrates the competitive spirit of dragon boat racing, but also emphasizes a deeper purpose: promoting tourism, environmental protection, and mobilizing for climate action. In a message from Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., delivered by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. during the event's opening ceremony last October 30th, the national government highlighted sports as a platform for shared environmental responsibility. “We recognize that sports carry a profound power: the power to move people, nurture communities, and uplift nations,” said the President, aligning with the United Nations’ call for sports to foster peaceful, inclusive communities. Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron echoed the national government’s sentiments, encouraging delegates to experience the city’s beauty which notably includes its UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Subterranean River National Park.
The Philippine government has shown strong support for the Dragonboat Championships, marking the first international dragonboat event in the country and Southeast Asia. The championships coincide with the newly declared “Moving Forward Paddling Week Philippines", an initiative established by President Marcos through Proclamation No. 699 signed last October 2, 2024 by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, which will be celebrated annually during the fourth week of October. The proclamation encourages collaboration between government and private sectors to support the dragonboat community and its goals for tourism, environmental protection, and community involvement. It also directed the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to lead this initiative, coordinating programs and projects in line with the observance of Moving Forward Paddling Week Philippines. PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann has also visited multiple cities across Mindanao, including Iligan in Lanao del Norte and Cotabato City, where local governments have expressed their commitment to promoting the sport. These areas, rich in aquatic attractions such as Lake Lanao and Lake Sebu, have become active supporters of the dragonboat community’s goals for growth and environmental impact. Iligan City Mayor Frederick Siao and Vice Mayor Marianito Alemania shared the achievements of the first-ever Iligan National Dragon Boat Festival held in September at the Mandulog River Esplanade with plans to expand the event to international standards. Bangsamoro Sports Commission Chairman Arsalan Diaomaoden similarly expressed his support, noting that their 12-point agenda includes developing sports tourism and integrating local culture into their initiatives. Leaders in Tawi-Tawi, during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair last May, also voiced plans to develop water sports such as dragonboat racing, canoe-kayak, swimming, rowing, and deep diving to highlight the rich aquatic landscapes of the southern Philippines.
The 2024 ICF Dragon Boat Championships in Palawan, spearheaded by the Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragon Boat Federation (PCKDBF) and supported by the city government of Puerto Princesa, has gathered nearly 2,000 athletes from 27 countries, including the Philippines, competing for coveted spots in the 2025 Chengdu World Games. This high-profile event is not only a showcase of athletic prowess but also a powerful call to action for climate awareness, environmental stewardship, and sustainable tourism. The Philippines was hailed as overall champion in the highly-competitive five-day affair with eleven gold medals, twenty silver and eight bronze which surpassed the country's medal haul in the 2018 ICF World Championships held in Gainesville, Georgia, U.S.A. comprising of five gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze. These gold medals come from the following categories: 20-seater Open 200m, 20-seater Women 200m, 20-seater Open 500m, 20-seater Women 500m, 20-seater Women 2000m, 20-seater Mixed 200m, 20-seater Mixed 500m and 10-seater Mixed 200m in the 40+ age category; 10-seater Mixed 200m in the junior category; 20-seater Mixed 200m; and 10-seater Women 200m in the 50+ category. Meanwhile, regional powerhouse Thailand ended its ICF World Championship campaign this year in second place over-all with eight gold medals while Individual Neutral Athletes from Russia and Belarus was placed third over-all with six gold, three silver and three bronze. This was followed by Ukraine with five gold and 1 silver; Canada, Hungary and Iran with four gold medals each; and Czech Republic and Poland with two apiece based on the event's medal tally.
PCKDBF Pesident Leonora Escollante praised the Filipino paddlers for their brilliant showing in the just-concluded ICF Dragon Boat World Championships; however, she believes they can further excel in overseas competitions. In an interview with the Philippine News Agency a day after the competition, Escollante shared, “While I am proud of what we achieved at the worlds, I believe that there is still some room for improvement. Something is still missing. So, that is what we will work on so that our paddlers can be more competitive in international competition. I believe our athletes can deliver more as they work on the areas they can improve on because the proper technique and execution is already there. Among them is boosting their power and we can only do that with the proper nutrition and supplements." National coach Duch Co and national team skipper OJ Fuentes shared their opinion. “We practically have the same stroke and technique as our foreign rivals. But we lack power. Nutrition is very important and that's the big thing we lack,” said Co. Fuentes commented, “It's a big thing if we can build muscle and get more power in our strokes. You have seen our opponents, especially from Europe, who are strong and muscular." Escollante said the federation needs further support and financial resources not only from the government but from the private sector. She hopes the Philippine team's triumph at the worlds would make private sponsors notice the potential of dragon boat. Escollante also said that private sector support will be needed in the event that the country qualifies for the World Games in Chengdu, China where dragon boat will make its debut in the sportsfest for non-Olympic disciplines and the 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games next year. “There is a good chance that the Philippines will qualify for the World Games and the sport will be back in the Thailand SEA Games so we need to maintain and sustain the gains we attained at the worlds in these two big events late next year."
(With words by Jean Malanum, Philippine News Agency)
