Local color
Uniquely Asian sports to shine at Asian Games
Posted: Thursday November 19, 1998 05:14 PM
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Crowds at the Asian Games will no doubt
flock to track and field events and boxing, but aficionados of
uniquely Asian sports will be equally passionate for lesser-known
but entertaining competitions like sepak takraw and kabaddi.
The quick and acrobatic play of sepak takraw, a sport almost
unknown outside Southeast Asia, is expected to draw a packed
stadium when host Thailand goes up against its rival, Malaysia.
Resembling a cross between volleyball and soccer played on a
badminton court, sepak takraw players must volley a rattan ball
over a net without using their hands.
Despite the physical limitation, the sport is filled with
graceful teamwork and players execute impressive spikes by reverse
kicking the ball over their shoulders.
Takraw has developed a reputation in Thailand as "the pedicab
drivers' sport" - though such conveyances are few these days -
because the inexpensive attan ball is the only equipment needed
for a friendly game of circle takraw.
Both Thailand and Malaysia claim to be the first country to
invent takraw. Although it is played by most of the 10 Southeast
Asian nations competing at the games next month, international
tournaments invariably boil down to a match between the Thais and
their southern neighbors.
"Since 1965, when takraw was first played at the Southeast
Asian Games, the two teams have been arch rivals. No other team can
break this combination in the final round," said Sujin
Kaewswarang, a coach of Thailand's takraw team.
Malaysia has triumphed over Thailand and claimed gold twice
since sepak takraw was introduced into the Asian Gaes in 1990, but
the Thais hope to turn the tables on their home turf.
Sepak takraw could be on its way to worldwide competition with
the formation in recent years of both men's and women's teams in
the United States, but Sujin said efforts to spread the sport to
Japan and South Korea have not met much success.
As host of the Asian Games, which open December 6, Thailand has
fielded one of the largest teams at 808 athletes, on par with
regional giant China, which is expected to send about 800.
Besides taking the opportunity to introduce circle takraw to the
games for the first time and boost its local favorite status -
there will be team and individual takraw for men and women -
Thailand is delving into less familiar sports like kabaddi.
A sort of team tag, kabaddi has a limited following outside
South Asia, but matches between India and rival Pakistan have been
known to draw emotional reactions akin to war among players and
spectators.
India took the gold medal at the last Asian Games in 1994 in
Hiroshima, besting Pakistan and Nepal.
One of the game's more colorful aspects is a rule that when a
player is in the opponents' zone, he has to hop continuously on one
leg while chanting "kabaddi."
Thailand formed its first kabaddi team six months ago out of
castoffs from other national teams and recruits from the Thai
navy's frogman unit, the president of Thailand's new kabaddi
association said.
The frogmen were selected because of their lung strength, which
president Verapoj Phummaphuti said would be advantageous for the
exhausting kabaddi chants.
The fledgling team had to make trips to Sri Lanka and India to
familiarize itself with the sport. But kabaddi is not completely
unknown in Thailand, where a version called "ding chiap" is
played in elementary school playgrounds.
"People would laugh if I told them I was president of a ding
chiap team, but they don't understand how difficult this sport can
be," Verapoj said.
Asian martial arts judo, karate-do, taekwon-do and wushu - a
type of kung fu with a stave - will also be represented. Muay Thai,
the national form of kick-boxing, will be a demonstration sport.
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