More than 3,500 participate in inclusive dragon boat race at Bedok Reservoir

Two hours of racing a dragon boat across Bedok Reservoir on the morning of June 14 was a hot and sweaty affair, but Mr Ashwin S. Sheernali was happy to have done it.

It was a chance for the 26-year-old and his father, Mr Sheernali G. Sheshachala, 54, to compete in a sport they both love.

The pair have been rowing and training together for close to five years, after they found out about the sport through a support group for people with autism.

Mr Sheernali, an IT consultant, said it gave them an opportunity to have quality time together during a dedicated window each week. It has also improved his son's sleep quality and coordination, he added.

Mr Ashwin, who has autism, was among some 200 people with disabilities who took part in the Paddle As One North East dragon boat race event, which had more than 3,500 participants altogether.

The event had 64 teams of different abilities, ages and backgrounds, including individuals with special needs and children from low-income families. Fourteen of the teams were in the Adaptive Open category that included people with disabilities. It was Singapore's largest inclusive dragon boat race, said the organisers.

It was put together by the North East Community Development Council (CDC), North East District grassroots organisations and Singapore Dragon Boat Association as part of the SG60 celebrations for Singapore's 60th birthday.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was guest of honour at the event.

Ahead of the race, DPM Gan, Mayor of North East District Baey Yam Keng, Potong Pasir MP Alex Yeo and Aljunied GRC grassroots adviser Chan Hui Yuh took part in the traditional ceremony of dotting the eyes of the boats, which symbolises the awakening of the dragon.

Six boats featured artwork by three artists with various disabilities - Mr Alex Lim, 20, who has autism; Mr Gary Chong, 28, who has intellectual disability; and Ms Sabrina Han, 37, who has autism spectrum disorder and several mental health conditions.

Their artwork included depictions of the ingredients used in rice dumplings as well as elements from the tale of Qu Yuan that is closely tied to the commemoration of the Dragon Boat Festival, which was on May 31.

There were nine race categories, including for mixed-gender teams, single-gender teams, those in tertiary education, and those with disabilities in the Adaptive Open category.

Mr Baey, who later awarded plaques to the winners, said the event showed the heart of the North East community and the Singapore spirit.

"Seeing teams of all abilities and backgrounds come together, support one another and celebrate as one was heartwarming," said Mr Baey, who is also Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth.

Mr Yeo, who is also president of the Singapore Dragon Boat Association, said the event celebrated Singapore's rich diversity and inclusivity. "By bringing together participants from all walks of life, we created a space where everyone can come together and paddle as one," he added.

Civil servant Chris Tan, 30, rowed in the race with a team from the Kampong Glam Community Sports Network under the People's Association.

He said it had been about a year since he joined the team, and they had been training weekly on Sunday mornings ahead of the competition.

"I was very excited hearing about the strong competitors at this event and everyone was working very hard towards it," he said.

Outside of competing, the team focuses on guiding one another to improve, and also allows for people with different experience and commitment levels to join.

"We want to make people feel comfortable, just come and row with us. It's about having fun," said Mr Tan.

The June 14 event also had a fund-raising component, as teams paddled to raise funds for Shaping Hearts 2025, an initiative by North East CDC to provide people with disabilities a platform to showcase their visual and performing arts talent.

A total of $110,000 was raised through corporate sponsorships and community donations, and part of the funds will go to dragon boat training workshops and programmes for people with disabilities.