Xia Shiying, 13, has become the youngest gold medal winner for the Chinese delegation at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong Province. She won three gold medals in the women's 1,000-, 500- and 250-meter straight races in dragon boat events.

Xia, who also slaloms, is the drummer in charge of harmonizing 20 rowers on a dragon boat. Since a drummer doesn't paddle, the lighter they are, the better. Xia, only 45 kg, is a good choice.

"Apart from her weight, Xia is a smart girl who has good insight and quick responses in the boat," said Lu Changsong, head coach of the Chinese women's dragon boat team. "She can adjust the rowers' rhythm with her drum tempo and alert teammates when opponents are trying to catch up."

Xia is also the youngest member of the Chinese Asian Games delegation.

It's the first time dragon boat racing has been an official event at the Asian Games. With a history of more than 2,200 years in China, it emerged as an international sport in 1976 and is popular in more than 60 countries and regions.