China wins dragon boat championships
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2004-10-25 09:17

China won 11 gold, two silver and three bronze medals to finish top of the table at the Fifth World Dragon Boat Racing Championship in Shanghai yesterday, but Russia won the most important race of the event.

Paddlers compete in a dragon boat race at Qingpu Water Sports Center in Shanghai October 24. China won the overall competition with 16 medals in 22 races.

The Russians won the highly valued Premier Open, a men's 500-meter race, finishing just ahead of Canada and the Czech Republic.

The Canadian finished second in the overall competition with five gold medals.

Many of the paddlers said the most impressive performance of the event was put in by the organizers.

"Some of our athletes have been to large international tournaments like the Olympics but even for them, Qingpu has done a very impressive job," said Mike Haslam, executive vice president of the International Dragon Boat Federation.

Haslam visited Shanghai five times over the past 12 months to ensure the success of the event, which was delayed more than a year due to the SARS outbreak.

More than 2,000 athletes took part in the event, competing in 22 classifications.

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