ARF President Chen Chunxin hopes to promote rowing through Asian Rowing U19&U23 Championships
Thu, 12 Sept
SHENYANG – Chen Chunxin, President of the Asian Rowing Federation (ARF), said in a riverside exclusive interview that the purpose of organizing the annual Asian Rowing U19&U23 Championships is to promote the competitive rowing in the continent and to popularize the sport among the Chinese people.
“As a rowing organization in Asia, our most important job is to organize regatta on a regular basis,” Chen said on Wednesday. “By doing this, it primarily promotes its popularity, so that more people get to know it, like it, and eventually devote to the regatta.”
The annual championships started along the Hun river in downton of Shenyang on Wednesday, featuring 280 athletes and 96 managers and coaches from 19 countries and regions. Through four-day competitions, they are competing in five events of single sculls, double sculls, quadruple sculls, pair and four in four categories by gender and age.
“The regatta this year has the largest representation in the ARF history as we have only 36 member countries and regions so far,” said Chen.
Among the 19 participating teams, China is sending the largest contingent of 52 athletes to compete in all 20 events. Chinese Taipei is second with 36 rowers, followed by Hong Kong China 28, Vietnam 27, Uzbekistan 24, India 22, Kazakhstan 21. Other teams include DPR Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Iran, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Myanmar.
“In Asia, China is relatively strong by winning two Olympic rowing gold medals, both from the women’s quadruple sculls in Beijing and Tokyo, followed by Japan, South Korean, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. And Thailand is also catching up in recent years,” Chen said.
“However, rowing is the stronghold for European teams as it was originated in Europe and enjoys great popularity there,” explained Chen.
“Therefore, our federation has committed to promote the sport among Asian countries and regions from the very first day it was founded, by organizing annual championships with unremitting efforts.”
“Rowing is not newly introduced to China”, said Chen. After the ARF was founded in 1982, China has hosted both Asian Championships and Asian Youth Championships dozen times during the past four decades, including the first two youth editions, namely Shanghai 1991 and Chengdu 1992, he recalled.
With increasing popularity in recent years, rowing is appealing to the youth groups and accepted by more people in China, Chen said.
He cited Shenyang as an example, and said that it is developing “in the fast lane” by hosting the ongoing 2024 Asian Youth Championships and the 7th Shenyang International Open Regatta consecutively, which serves not only as a platform to popularize the sport but also an opportunity for the development of the city.
“The regatta on the Hun river brings more energy and vitality to the city of Shenyang and the local citizens enjoy both happiness and belonging while participating in series of sports activities,” said Chen.
The ARF president also revealed that there are about 5,000 registered athletes in China, including the youth. “They will improve their skills and accumulate experiences by competing in various tournaments, such as the Asian Youth Championships to get ready for more bigger stages such as the Asian Games and the Olympic Games in the future.”
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