AFP rowers fastest in the world

by WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL
Publish in Manila Times

UNKNOWN to many, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has the fastest rowing team in the world.

The Philippine Army Dragon Boat Team made waves when it established a new record in the Dragon Boat World Championships on Tampa Bay, Florida, in 2011.

In the 2014 World Championships, the Army paddlers outraced over 25 competing teams in the 200-meter category and broke the 53-second world record in the same event by posting 47.85 seconds.

The Army team’s latest feat was in the 9th International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crews World Championship in Standiana Bacin, Ravenna, Italy, held from September 3 to 7 where it bagged the medals in the 200-meter and 500-meter small boat categories.

The AFP rowers were awarded on Monday for bringing honor to the military.

“The Philippine Army Dragon Boat Team is considered as the fastest dragon boat crew in the planet,” Army spokesman Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato said during simple awarding ceremonies at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City (Metro Manila).

Members of the 17-man Army Dragon Boat Team were conferred the Military Merit Medals (Interim) by Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri.

The Army’s team established world records in the 200-meter event when it competed in the Dragon Boat World Championships on Tampa Bay, Florida, in 2011.

This year in the same event, the Army paddlers outraced over 25 other competing teams in the 200-meter category and set a new record of 47.85 seconds.

In the 500-meter event, the team outpaddled 27 other teams, nailing another world record by clocking an all-time best record of 2 minutes and 6 seconds.

Detoyato said the Army paddlers’ victory is more glorious this year because they carried solely the name of the Philippine Army in a world competition for the first time.

Apart from the Army Dragon Team, the Philippine Army Lady Troopers also displayed excellence in sports when it captured the recent Shakey’s V-League Season11 Open Conference Crown.

Source:http://www.manilatimes.net/afp-rowers-fastest-world/128674/