China Nanhai Jiujiang won both the 500-metre open and women’s categories of the Macao International Invitation Standard Dragon Boat Race on Thursday, while Kasetsart University of Thailand won the Macao University Student Invitation Standard Dragon Boat Race over the same distance. Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng officiated at the award presentations.
A Macao China Selection team came second in the international open competition, with Thailand in third. In the women’s race, Thailand and Singapore came second and third respectively, while in the student category, the runner-up places went to Nanyang Technological University of Singapore and Nankai University Binhai College from Tianjin.
The Best Drummer award went to Choi Ka Pou of NC Sky, while Sin Kam Chong of Yunongfan Youth Team won the Best Steersman award.
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The races took place at the Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre and the international contest was the first one in three years owing to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Speaking on the sidelines of Thursday’s races, Sports Bureau President Pun Weng Kun told local media the tournament “exceeded expectations.”
In earlier races, held on 17 and 18 June, the Fire Services Bureau and the Association of Macao Youth Development won the open and the women’s races respectively in the small boat format, while the University of Macau A team picked up the honour in the student small boat category.
An estimated 16,000 people in total attended the three days of racing, which were organised by the Sports Bureau, SJM Resorts and the Dragon Boat Association of Macao, China.
