TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia dragon boat team came out as the overall champion at the Hakka International Dragon Boat Championship in Kaifeng, Henan Province, China, on Thursday.

"The Indonesian team could overcome its competition with China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea," Team Manager Nurdin Purnomo said in an e-mail from Kaifeng.

At the 200 dragon boat competition, the Indonesian national team won a gold medal clocking 40.72 seconds.

The silver medal also went to an Indonesian team from West Kalimantan.

In the 500-meter event, the national team emerged as the champion clocking one minute 48.69 seconds.

The silver medal during this event went to China, while the Indonesian team from West Kalimantan received a bronze medal.

The Hakka International Dragon Boat Race Tournament was the first held in the Henan province.

Nurdin said the Indonesian team had been considered a potential champion before in view of its achievement during the 2010 Asian Games, where it won three gold medals.

He hoped the team could continue to be groomed with the help of the government so that it can continue with its achievements during the Asia Games 2018, which are scheduled to be held in Indonesia.

ANTARA