The Wuhan University international student dragon boat team, founded in 2023, made an impressive debut at the 2026 Hubei Dragon Boat Open (Hongshan Stop), held from May 16 to 17.

This event gathered 34 teams and over 600 athletes from across the province. Team leader Tan Ruixin noted that the team, comprising 14 members from countries including Russia, Iran, and Jordan, underwent a month of intensive training. "We aim to help them learn more about traditional Chinese culture through this race," Tan said.

Bangladeshi student "Egg" said he wanted to learn more about Chinese dragon boat culture, while Nikita from Russia and Muhanmo from Tajikistan expressed their enthusiasm for making new friends and their appreciation for the "spirit of unity" that dragon boat racing embodies.