Foreigners fall in love with dragon boat racing: I hope dragon boat racing will become an Olympic event
Dragon boat racing, a traditional Chinese folk sports and cultural activity, is now even more popular among foreign friends.
This year's Dragon Boat Festival, my British friend David became a "conspicuous bag".
During the recent night training of the Diejiao dragon boat in Foshan, Guangdong, he and his local friends experienced the charm of traditional Chinese dragon boat drifting.
![Foreigners fall in love with dragon boat racing: I hope dragon boat racing will become an Olympic event](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/faad71b733657e738cc228544f86948f.webp)
At that time, there was also Qu Yuan "played" by a Chinese young man standing on the boat. David was filmed paddling hard and posted online. Netizens joked that he was a "foreign aid" involved in "rescuing Qu Yuan".
David enjoyed the process very much, “I think the most important thing is to enjoy the time, meet new people, feel the power of the team, and have fun!”
David is the leader of the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Team. His gray hair and gray beard make him very conspicuous in the dragon boat team.
![Foreigners fall in love with dragon boat racing: I hope dragon boat racing will become an Olympic event](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/e85fc7775941dc27735a5db5097165eb.webp)
The humorous David has many Chinese friends. In 2010, a Chinese friend introduced him to dragon boat rowing. David never expected that he could continue until now.
"In our team, there are not only Chinese, but also Africans, Middle Easterners, and Europeans... Dragon boating is not only a festival activity, it is also a sport and a team event. We train all year round."
The training base of the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Team is located in the beautiful Haizhu National Wetland Park. The river network here is crisscrossed, more than 30 rivers are connected to the Pearl River, and the water area is 380 hectares. It is an ideal place for dragon boat training.
![Foreigners fall in love with dragon boat racing: I hope dragon boat racing will become an Olympic event](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/f72a260ab63bc8ee6489e915d43570a7.webp)
Every week, David and his teammates train under the guidance of Jordanian friend He Daming. Since the start of the Dragon Boat Festival dragon boat season in May, a midweek evening training has been added to the original two-day weekend training, and the training time has also been extended from two hours to three hours.
On the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, dragon boat competitions in the Pearl River Delta increased significantly, and members of the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Team went out to compete almost every week.
There are more than 60 active members in the dragon boat team, but competitions often only require 20 or 30 people. When choosing who to play, Coach He felt "like a mirror."
![Foreigners fall in love with dragon boat racing: I hope dragon boat racing will become an Olympic event](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/c8883d5633885b3e569082ad261aa771.webp)
"Whoever trains regularly will have a better chance of getting on the boat and competing. You must be physically prepared in all aspects, and you must not drink alcohol."
△Jordanian coach He Daming guides the players in physical training
Located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Team is not only active in the Pearl River Delta, but also participates in large and medium-sized events around the world and domestically every year. David and He Daming have won several medals and honors together.
![Foreigners fall in love with dragon boat racing: I hope dragon boat racing will become an Olympic event](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/8e11eceda68a0eb68fed92b842a8e609.webp)
Since international standard dragon boats are used for daily training, the shape and materials are very different from traditional dragon boats. Therefore, one of David's many dragon boat-related wishes is to experience traditional Chinese dragon boats. This wish has been realized in Foshan this year.
David also has a wish - to win a medal in the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Championships. For this reason, he said that he must continue to maintain the intensity of training.
He Daming, the coach from Jordan, thinks further.
![Foreigners fall in love with dragon boat racing: I hope dragon boat racing will become an Olympic event](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/db83f07fe5a506b949e3228acaaf4ece.webp)
"I love dragon boats. Wherever there are dragon boats, I will stay. I can row until I am 80 years old. In fact, I still have a dream - to bring dragon boats to Jordan."
The international friends of the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Team are relatively mobile, but many of them will continue to actively participate in local dragon boat activities after leaving China. Some team members will assist the local Chinese Chamber of Commerce in setting up dragon boat clubs and organizing dragon boat competitions after returning home.
Before David came to China in 2010, he didn’t know what a dragon boat was. Now, a dragon boat team has been established in his hometown in the UK, with team members of different colors coming from different countries.
![Foreigners fall in love with dragon boat racing: I hope dragon boat racing will become an Olympic event](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/d66d8305db155d87332820573991955e.webp)
Jordanian friend He Daming longs for the day when dragon boating can become an Olympic event - then his country may establish a dragon boating team, and his dream will come true.
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