Traditional Chinese board-shoe racing highlights collaborative spirit

The unique sport of board-shoe racing is demonstrating the spirit of collaboration and athletic prowess of China's ethnic minorities at the 12th National Traditional Games in Sanya, Hainan Province.

Board-shoe racing is a traditional folk sports event of the Zhuang ethnic group from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It pits teams of three athletes wearing a single pair of wooden board shoes against each other.

The interesting sport can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when legend has it that a famous heroine used it as a way to train soldiers. It has been passed on from generation to generation since then, and has grown in popularity, attracting participants from northern provinces as well.

The racing includes men's and women's three-member 60 meters, 100 meters, 200 meters racing, and 2×100 meters relay, as well as 4×100 meters mixed relay.

A total of 30 board-shoe racing teams of 348 athletes from different ethnic groups are competing this year. Athletes say the sport requires perfect coordination of the trio and concentration of each member.

Unlike modern sporting events, the ethnic games feature competitions rooted in traditional customs and the daily life of people of different ethnic groups in China.