An aerial drone photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows the members of the single bamboo drifting team of Hechi University practicing on the Longjiang River in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

In Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, a group of young people held long poles and stepped on bamboos on the Sanya River, rowing upstream to the finish line. They were the athletes of the single bamboo drifing event at the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of China.

The event lasted from Nov. 27 to 28. During the event, Team Guangxi won in all the six categories, once again showing the strength of "Dream Team". All of those athletes are from Hechi University located in Hechi City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

In 2009, the Institute of Physical Education of Hechi University established its single bamboo drifting team. In 2011, single bamboo drifting was included in the competition for the first time at the 9th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of China. The single bamboo drifting team of Hechi University have been practicing throughout the seasons. In 2015, at the 10th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of China, Liu Chuntao, a student of Hechi University, won the first prize for the team.

"We will continue to explore new ways to protect and inherit traditional sports of ethnic minorities in addition to participating in competitions," said Lan Jianzhuo, founder of single bamboo drifting team of the Hechi University and dean of the Institute of Physical Education of the university.