— 2026 Asian University Dragon Boat Championship Concludes in Liaocheng
LIAOCHENG, May 24, 2026 — Drums thundered and paddles flashed across Dongchang Lake on Sunday as the first Asian University Dragon Boat Championship came to a close in Liaocheng, Shandong Province. Over one full day of racing, 11 university teams competed across three events: the 200-metre and 500-metre straight races and the 2000-metre circuit race. The teams represented six countries and regions: China, Hong Kong China, Macau China, Singapore, Thailand and Australia. More than 2000 spectators have appreciated the competitions in person to support the championship.
This championship was hosted by the Asian University Sports Federation (AUSF) and jointly organized by the Federation of China University and School Sports (FOCUSS), the Liaocheng Municipal People’s Government and Liaocheng University. Known as the “Water City North of the Yangtze River·Pearl of Two Rivers,” Liaocheng is famous for its distinctive layout — a city wrapped around water, with water woven through the city. Dongchang Lake, spanning 6.3 square kilometres, made an ideal natural race venue. From morning to dusk, dragon boats raced and chased across the water as cheers rolled from the shore, filling the early-summer air with energy and excitement.
The competition was fierce across all nine medal events, with pounding drums and slicing paddles driving the racing from one climatic moment to another. Team China posted strong performances throughout the day, while Hong Kong China stayed close behind with consistent results. Thailand, Australia, Singapore and Macau China each reached the podium in different categories, reflecting broad participation and diverse vitality of university dragon boat sport. The mixed-gender racing drew the highest excitement and loudest cheers of the day, with teams separated by mere fractions of a second.
Beyond the competition itself, the championship offered a stage for cultural exchange among young paddlers from across the region and beyond. The Chinese mixed team was a notable example of cooperation in its own right. Jointly formed by athletes from Liaocheng University and Beihua University, the team spent its pre-competition training sessions learning from each other’s strengths and building trust across campuses.
As an extension of the championship, Liaocheng, the host city, integrated sport with culture in creative ways. During the championship, 38 A-level scenic spots across Liaocheng opened their gates free of charge to all athletes and coaches. Near the racecourse, a special zone was set up to present intangible cultural heritage items such as paper‑cutting and gourd carving. Young athletes from different countries and regions had the chance to pick up a pair of scissors or a carving knife, experiencing the warmth and charm of traditional Eastern culture, stroke by stroke with a carving knife or a pair of scissors.
As the final whistle of the 2000-metre circuit race echoed across the lake, the inaugural championship drew to a successful close. Mr. Jargalsaikhan, Senior Vice President of AUSF, said, “…Hope this first Championship will help more Asian university students become interested in this sport and help build stronger sports and cultural connections across the AUSF family.”
The drumbeats have faded, but their echo lingers. The waters of Dongchang Lake will keep rippling on, and the cheers and fun of this single day have already become a shared memory between the host city and the student-athletes who gathered here. From this water city in western Shandong, the story of university dragon boat racing in Asia has just begun, and will be written about even more distant waters.
