MACAO, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The 2024 Macao International Dragon Boat Races took place at Macao's Nam Van Lake from Saturday through Monday with over 200 teams from Asia and beyond taking part.
The races were organized by the Macao's sports bureau, including the small dragon boat race, government departments' race, standard dragon boat race, international invitation race, and the university student invitation race.
In Monday's races, China's Nanhai Jiujiang team defended their international invitation race championships in both open and women's categories, while Liaocheng University took the university invitation race title.
"We are comprised of different strokes, different fitness levels and different ladies, but we are all 100 percent strong," said Thea Pabillore, captain of the Singapore Dragon Boat Association women's team, adding that the team was "super happy to be here" and hoped to return next year.
Leoi Zi On, from the Macao Selection Team, told Xinhua that playing against overseas teams is not only a way to test themselves, but also a good platform to exchange skills and experiences.
Featuring the dragon boat races, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar. In 2024, the festival falls on Monday, June 10. ■
