Pads win gold in Hong Kong
The Philippine Acceptable Disability Services Inc. (Pads) Dragonboat Team made up for their lack in experience with a lot of heart to win the gold medal in the 2017 International Para Dragonboat Championships in Hong Kong last Sunday.
The Cebu-based Pads Team bucked the odds and beat defending champion Golden Eagle Team in come-from-behind fashion after two heats in the 400-meter Mixed Standard Boat category.
Pads lost to the home squad Golden Eagle in the first heat as the latter finished first in a seven-team race with a time of 1 minute, 39.756 seconds, while the former came second in 1:40.030.
“I told them (my teammates) that this what we practiced for and it’s time that we show what we’ve worked hard for in our long training. Let’s get the gold for the Philippines,” said captain Arnold Balais.
The Cebuano paddlers answered the call and topped the second heat with a time of 1:43.361, beating Golden Eagle by seven seconds, and erasing the 25-millisecond deficit from the first heat to win the gold medal in the quotient system.
“There were a lot of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) who watched the race and they said they were proud of us. It made us happier,” added Balais.
Pads executive officer John Paul “JP Maunes said they were overwhelmed by their win against the defending champion, who have been paddling for about nine years compared to the Pads team that just started to join competitive event six months ago.