Mother and daughter to compete at dragon boat world championships

Australia Broadcast Center

11-07-2025

A New South Wales Central Coast mother and daughter, who share a love for dragon boat racing, will take part in the sport's world championships later this month.
Portia Roberts, 18, has been competing in the sport for the past six years, inspired by her mother Justine.
As a young girl, Portia would watch her mother and grandmother enjoy the sport, but was too young to join in herself.
"I'd sit … with a little stick and a drum, which was a bucket, and I'd hit the bucket and I'd have a blast," she recalled.
"Then I turned 12 and I got in the boat and I'd sit either next to Mum or Nan and I'd play with my hair, do everything but paddle … at some point I started to lock in."
Fast forward eight years and the year 12 student will join her mum competing in dragon boat racing at an international level.
Justine's involvement in dragon boating began in 2017, after she landed a local job in Gosford, cutting out her daily commute to Sydney.
"That freed up a whole lot of time … so I was looking for a sport," she said.
A colleague mentioned the local dragon boat club was having a "come and try day" and it wasn't long before Justine was hooked.
It didn't take long for her family to follow suit.
"[My husband] got involved because he saw I was having a good time, and he was curious," Justine said.
"Then my mum, at 73, and her partner came down and they enjoyed it.
Just like her other family members, Portia picked up dragon boating and her potential in the sport was obvious early on.
At 15, she was selected for a NSW representative team, where she was spotted by a national coach.
"That's when I realised I could be competitive in this," she said.
This year will be Portia's second time competing in the Dragon Boat Racing World Championships, made more special this time as she will captain the under 18s team.
The year 12 student is juggling the demands of the sport with school, as she studies for her Higher School Certificate.
At 4:30am, when most teenagers are tucked away in bed, Portia rises to complete her strength and conditioning training and commutes to Sydney five afternoons a week, after school, to train on the water with her team.
"There's a lot of overhead lifting, a lot of core workouts," she said.
"Heavy weights … [your] upper body strength has got to be insane."
Portia still finds time to study in between her training sessions.
"It's definitely a balancing act … studying in the car on the way to training," she said.
"It's a lot but I'm juggling [it], it's good."
Justine said she couldn't be more proud of her daughter.
Justine said it was her first time competing at the world championships.
She will compete in the Australian Paradragons crew, as one of the unimpaired athletes in a team that's split 50–50 with impaired competitors.
"To be able to paddle with people that transform adversity with every stroke is inspiring … they're just incredible athletes," she said.
Like her daughter, Justine is also juggling the sport with her job as a nurse.
"I'm a shift worker so I never know what day it is … going to the gym after night shift, I'm a little bit fatigued," she said.
Justine will be flying the Australian flag with pride, as they take on the world's best.
The 17th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships will take place in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany from July 14 to 20.