Team PH awaits ICF verdict on World Games inclusion

Filipino paddlers celebrate another victory after crossing the finish line. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

PUERTO PRINCESA—Team Philippines added two more gold medals at the close of hostilities on Sunday to top the International Canoe Federation (ICF) World Dragon Boat Championships and have a lot of reasons to hope for inclusion to the World Games next year.

With 11 gold medals, 20 silvers and eight bronzes at Puerto Princesa Baywalk here, the Philippines ended its mightiest stint in this tournament yet and will go into the next edition in Regina, Canada, in 2026 with a proverbial bull’s-eye on its back.

But before that, the country would like nothing better than be included in the World Games, set in Chengdu, China meet next year.

The ICF, though, has yet to release the official lineup of countries that have qualified to the meet that hosts sports not included in the Olympics.

“We are looking forward to big races in the next two years and we have to prepare as early as possible,’’ said Len Escollante, who coached the team in its previous record finish at the worlds with five gold medals in 2018 held in Gainesville, Georgia, in the United States.

That performance at Lake Lanier Olympic Park, the venue of canoe racing during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, was eclipsed twice over with the country’s final gold in the women’s 20-seater 40+ 2,000 meters with a time of 10 minutes and 42.31 seconds, convincingly beating Canada (10:48.64). INQ