— 2026 Asian University Dragon Boat Championship Opens in Liaocheng
LIAOCHENG, May 24, 2026 — The inaugural Asian University Dragon Boat Championship opened on Sunday morning at Jinfeng Square on the shores of Dongchang Lake in Liaocheng, Shandong Province. Eleven university teams and 158 student-athletes from six countries and regions —China, Hong Kong China, Macau China, Singapore, Thailand and Australia— gathered for the event, joined by officials of the Asian University Sports Federation (AUSF), delegation representatives and members of the public.
The championship is hosted by the Asian University Sports Federation (AUSF) and jointly organized by the Federation of Chinese University and School Sports (FOCUSS), the Liaocheng Municipal People’s Government and Liaocheng University. The opening ceremony was presided over by Ms. Ma Weihong, Vice Mayor of Liaocheng. Guests in attendance included Mr. Jargalsaikhan Dorjsuren, Senior Vice President of the Asian University Sports Federation (AUSF) and CISCA Chair of the championship; Mr. Hua Aijun, Vice President of the Federation of Chinese University and School Sports (FOCUSS); Professor Bai Chenglin, Director of the University Council of Liaocheng University; Mr. Liu Qingfa, Member of the Standing Committee of Liaocheng Municipal Committee and Head of the Publicity Department; Ms. Chen Hairong, Chief of Bureau of Education and Sports of Liaocheng; and Dr. Phassakon Nuntapanich, Vice President of the University Sports Board of Thailand and President of the ASEAN University Sports Council.
In their welcome remarks, Mr. Ma Junquan, Professor Bai Chenglin and Mr. Jargalsaikhan Dorjsuren greeted the visiting student-athletes and encouraged them to use the championship as a bridge for friendship and mutual understanding. Mr. Hua Aijun then declared the 2026 Asian University Dragon Boat Championship officially open. The spectators rose for the AUSF anthem, after which athlete and referee representatives took their oaths, pledging to compete and officiate in the spirit of fair play.
A highlight of the opening ceremony was the traditional “Eye-Dotting Ritual.” Eight guests took up the brush in turn to mark the eyes, forehead, nose, mouth and horns of the dragon heads of the boats waiting by the shore. Each stroke of cinnabar carried a traditional blessing — for favourable weather, peace, harmony, health and good fortune — bringing a touch of Chinese cultural tradition to the modern sporting event.
The ritual was followed by two cultural performances. Riding the Wind and Breaking the Waves, a dance by the School of Music and Dance of Liaocheng University, taking dragon boat racing as its theme, with the dancers’ movements reflecting unity and determination. A youth calisthenics piece, Eastern Tides, Dancing Together, followed, with students performing in unison to an upbeat rhythm.
On Dongchang Lake, the dragon boats lay in waiting; along its banks, applause and cheers rose in waves. As the opening ceremony came to a close, the 2026 Asian University Dragon Boat Championship proceeded with the start of the competition. Over the next few hours, athletes will race in the 200-metre and 500-metre straight races and the 2000-metre circuit race on Dongchang Lake, writing a new chapter in the history of AUSF sports.
