Sunday, September 15, 2024

S’pore’s first migrant worker dragon boat team take part in second race with sponsor’s help


The Transient Paddlers Count Too team, made up of domestic helpers and other migrant workers, will compete on Sept 15 in the biathlon category of the IHH Healthcare Singapore Sea Regatta.
PHOTO: TRANSIENT WORKERS COUNT TOO

Christine Tan
Updated
Sep 14, 2024

SINGAPORE – Just two months after their maiden competition in July, Singapore’s first migrant worker dragon boat team were raring to go for their second race.

The 12-person Transient Paddlers Count Too team, made up of domestic helpers and other migrant workers, were full of excitement on the morning of Sept 14 at the Water Sports Centre in Kallang.

They were racing in the IHH Singapore Sea Regatta 2024, an international dragon boat competition taking place over two days, on Sept 14 and 15.

Before the race, team leader and domestic helper Tri Winarti, 40, said with a chuckle: “One of the guys (a team member) talks about the previous competition every day. He says, ‘actually, we could have won’.”

While the team did not make the finals in their maiden competition, they rowed their way to the semi-finals of the 150m premier opens category this time round.

Ms Tri said that though they did not advance to the finals on Sept 14, they are grateful to have a chance to race again. On Sept 15, they are competing in the biathlon category – a race combining dragon boating and running.

The team, founded by a volunteer from non-profit organisation Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), first made waves when The Straits Times reported about their debut on July 27 at local sports festival Pesta Sukan 2024.




For that competition, the team trained hard on their only day off every week for a year, supported by $20,000 in funding from TWC2.

The report caught the attention of private healthcare group IHH Healthcare Singapore, the title sponsor of the sea regatta. The group offered the team $2,000 in funding to join two races in the regatta, covering coach fees, equipment rental and $1,000 in competition fees.

The group operates four hospitals locally under the Gleneagles, Mount Elizabeth and Parkway brands.

IHH Healthcare Singapore chief executive Peter Chow said the transient paddlers’ story is inspiring.

“To think that after five, six days of labour, they can still organise themselves in a disciplined manner to train in sports and keep themselves healthy in both mind and body. It’s very, very inspiring,” said Dr Chow.

IHH Healthcare Singapore chief corporate officer Sherry Tan said the group hopes to raise awareness of the vital role that migrant workers play in Singapore society, as they might often be overlooked.




The funding from IHH Healthcare gave construction worker Paramasivam Ajithkumar, 27, who did not join the previous race in July, a chance to compete in his first dragon boat competition.

The Indian national is no stranger to a paddle. He said four men in the team – including himself – had been fishermen back home.

Mr Ajithkumar, who headed for the race venue after his work ended at 3am in Woodlands, was all smiles when speaking about his passion for dragon boating.

“Last time, (during) my days off, I only scrolled social media. Now I go dragon boating and feel my health is good; I don’t even need to see a doctor,” he said.

Domestic helper and team member Angelina, 33, who also does muay thai and rock climbing, encouraged other migrant workers to take up sports.

“They have to do something better for their future – not only for their work, but their health too,” said Ms Angelina, who has been working in Singapore for 12 years and declined to give her full name.




The 12-person Transient Paddlers Count Too team rowed their way to the semi-finals at the IHH Healthcare Singapore Sea Regatta 2024 on Sept 14. ST PHOTO: CHRISTINE TAN


With two competitions soon under their belt, the team members are looking forward to future sponsorship and competition opportunities.

Said Ms Angelina: “(Dragon boating) is a unique experience. Not everybody has a chance like us. So if we have a chance, we need to take it.”

The IHH Healthcare sea regatta, which sees competitors racing down Kallang River, drew 150 teams from 45 organisations, including international dragon boat rowers from Malaysia, China and the Philippines.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who was guest of honour, paddled in one of the races alongside teams from IHH Healthcare Singapore, the Breast Cancer Foundation, and the three main healthcare clusters – SingHealth, National Healthcare Group and the National University Health System.

The regatta, which is aimed at raising awareness of breast cancer, also featured a race among breast cancer survivor dragon boat teams from around the region. Eight teams took part in this category.

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