The Philippine Army’s 11-man dragon boat team rowed their way to five gold medals during the 2018 ARA Waterways International Dragon Boat Festival in Incheon, South Korea.
The team was hailed as the overall champion of the event after winning a total of five medals in the 200-meter, 500-meter, and 2000-meter mixed event including the tug of war.
The Philippine team was able to edge out eighteen other international teams such as Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.
The event was held from October 4 to October 8, 2018.
The team, composed of six male and five female rowers, previously won the International Dragon Boat Federation and World Dragon Boat Championship in Italy and Australia in 2013 and 2016, respectively.
“[This] is a manifestation that indeed, our soldiers are transforming and seriously taking all things just to prove to the world that we are really world class,” said Army commander Lieutenant General Rolando Bautista.
