After winning four gold medals at the 14th IDBF World Dragonboat Racing Championship in Thailand, Philippine Accessible Disability Service Inc. (Pads) Dragonboat Adaptive Racing Team continues to negotiate with Southwestern University (SWU-Phinma) for dragonboat development here in Cebu.
The Pads return to the Cebu on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 as world champions following their successful campaign in Pattaya, Thailand.
The team made a courtesy call to SWU-Phinma, which sets out their strength and conditioning program.
Pads founder and executive director John Paul Maunes said he still couldn't believe their achievements.
“It hasn't sunk in. The team was created to be just a recreation program. All we wanted was to involve PWDs in sports, ”Maunes said.
The team will just rest for a while and then return to their preparation.
The Pads' next task is the Club Crew Championship to be held in France next year.
But before they can concentrate on their Francs campaign, the Pads will have to do a dragonboat in Sugbog in conjunction with SWU-Phinma.
“What we saw in Thailand was there were paddlers in different age groups. The plan now is not just the Club Crew Championships, but Pads will also reach out to students in different schools. We're looking to visit different schools for the program, ”said SWU-Phinma official Dr. Adorable Source.
Adorable joined the Pads in Thailand as a strength and conditioning head coach.
Team captain Arnold Balais said what they learned from participating in the Thailand event should be used for their next role.
In Thailand, the Pads won gold medals.
As a representative of the Philippine Paradragon Elite team, the Pads won gold medals in the 200-meter small boat PD-1 Open, 200m small boat PD-2 Open, 500m small boat PD-1 Open and 500 small boat PD-2 Open.