Visually impaired team takes part in Dongguan dragon boat race

A dragon boat team consisting of visually impaired people from Hong Kong has been invited to take part in an international dragon boat racing event in Dongguan, Guangdong province, and their indomitable spirit in sports has earned them the encouragement and applause of the on-site audience.

The team has overcome physical and psychological barriers to compete with over 2,000 athletes from 60 dragon boat teams from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and overseas countries and regions, the event organizers said.

"Although the team members have visual impairments, they are full of confidence to challenge themselves and defy the impossible," said Endy Chan, chairman of the Sports Association for the Blind Darkness Fighters.

The dragon boat racing invitation tournament, the final of its kind in the Greater Bay Area this year, was held over the weekend in Machong township of Dongguan, one of the hometowns of dragon boats.

The competition format aligns with international standards, featuring various events such as the standard 200-meter straight race, 500-meter straight race and 3000-meter circling race around buoys.