Students from 12 universities competed in a dragon boat race in Tianjin's Nankai district on May 31 to celebrate the upcoming traditional Dragon Boat Festival. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"Taking part in dragon boat sports helps us strike a balance between work and rest," He Zilong, a 2024-entry postgraduate and member of Peking University Dragon Boat Team, said. "Amid mounting study and work pressure in modern society, regular sports effectively ease mental strain and help us stay physically and mentally sound."

"This is my third tournament visit to Tianjin in this semester," He added. "Thanks to the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, we instantly bond with local student athletes here."