Time for the most Chinese sport at The World Games in Chengdu. Like China itself, it is colourful, crowded and cultural all at the same time. It is of course Dragon Boat Racing. The start line looks like the Old Port in Dubai or the piers off St Marks square in Venice.
There are long boats everywhere you look, all eye-catchingly painted. The prow is a bright embellished head of a dragon. The 20 paddlers furiously respond to the tempo of the drummer to time their strokes. The steersman ensures there are no collisions. The host nation are expected to dominate the racing, and there should be plenty for the home fans to celebrate. Look out too for Myanmar, The World Games debutants won the 2000m Women’s World Championship, so there could be historic podium places for them too!
Watch her- an outstanding female athlete competing tomorrow
Here is a quick way to discover a potential gold medallist. Ask three questions 1 Is the athlete female? 2 Is the athlete competing in a sport involving water? 3 Is she Hungarian? If the answer is yes to all three, then you already know who is occupying the top step of the medal podium. In Birmingham Petra Senanszky became the first athlete at The World Games to officially win a gold medal in two different sports, Underwater Swimming and Life Saving.
Equally impressive was Vanda Kiszli who dominated the Women’s Canoe Marathon winning both gold medals on offer. The sport is an energy sapping test of stamina. The competitors paddle furiously towards the first landing station. They jump out, shoulder the 17kg canoe and run with it to the next paddling point. A tough sport at the best of times, add in the sweltering heat of Chengdu, it is going to be brutal.However if any athlete can cope with these extreme conditions, it’s going to be Vanda.
Watch him- an outstanding male athlete competing tomorrow
Tomorow might be redemption day for American athlete Ruben Padilla. At the 2022 Birmingham edition of The World Games,Ruben was hot favourite to win the gold medal in the Men's Double Mini Trampoline. He has the speed necessary for a good take off on the first trampoline and there are few of his fellow competitors that can match the difficulty of his execution in midair, or the accuracy of his landing. However during his first pass during the final of the Men's competition in Alabama, he made the cardinal error of repeating a skill he had performed earlier in the day. That meant he did not receive any points for that element of his pass, relegating him to a disappointing fourth place.
Ruben told the Olympic Channel that ‘I know what happened last time. I made a mistake , and it happens, it’s a part of the sport. I wouldn’t change it. I think it just kind of lit a fire in me..it got me really excited for this year’s World Games, so I want to turn that around.’ Also likely to be really enthusiastic is Ruben’s super fan, his mum Nelia. Take ear plugs if you are sitting anywhere near her!
Watch them- an outstanding team competing at The World Games tomorrow
Switzerland is known for its chocolate, its cuckoo clocks, its private banks and for winning gold in the heaviest weight category of the Men’s Tug of War competition! It will be a major shock if they do not make the final of the 640kg competition. With the two Swiss athletes winning yesterday’s races in Orienteering, expect the Alpine nation’s gold reserves to increase even more.
Watch the fireworks- China invented gunpowder so this is the clash of the day to make the sparks fly.
In Floorball, the Men’s group qualification game between the two great rivals Finland and Czechia takes on extra significance. Floorball, in terms of play, is an indoor version of ice hockey but without the padding and with a ball rather than a puck. It is played on a plastic court, and the stick work and skills are almost identical.
Both nations have an impressive ice hockey and Floorball pedigree. In the indoor game they are closely matched.However both are some way behind Sweden, the dominant force in the sport. The yellow shirts have won the gold medal on both occasions that it has been chosen for The World Games. The winner of today’s clash will ensure that Sweden are not their semi final opponents.