PDBF team bags silver in Hungary world meet

THE COBRA Philippine Dragon Boat Federation team snared a silver in the standard 500-meter mixed competitions Friday for its first podium finish in the IDBF World Championships in Szeged, Hungary.

The PDBF paddlers finished behind China, clocking one minute, 57.37 seconds to the 1:56.73 of the winner. Canada wound up third (1:57.55).

The United States (1:58.77), Australia (1:59.42) and Czech Republic (1:59.93) finished fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

PDBF president Marcia Cristobal said the PH paddlers have slowly adjusted to  the eight-hour time difference and the overall conditions in Europe.

The country missed the top three Thursday in the 1000m races, placing fourth behind Germany, Czech Republic and the United States in the men’s standard, and behind USA, Canada and China in the mixed standard.

The PH paddlers, whose forte is the short distances, hope to finally nail their first gold in the 200m races on Saturday.

They will also see action in the small boat competitions—where they snared five gold medals two years ago in Tampa Bay, Florida—but only in the women’s category.