Diversity of Sport Drives Asian Beach Games Program -- On the Scene

(ATR) At first glance, even the most ardent of international sports enthusiasts might be unfamiliar with some of the sports comprising the Asian Beach Games program.

Sports such as beach sepaktakraw, woodball, kabaddi, kurash, and muaythai are part of the varied and diverse program in Phuket at the Asian Beach Games. With 26 sports in total, the sport program is the largest ever contested at the games, currently in its fourth edition.

More traditional sports such as beach volleyball, soccer, triathlon, squash and three-on-three basketball are also on the schedule with competitions held at six venue clusters. With more than 2,500 athletes from 43 nations competing, the Asian Beach Games continue through November 23.

Making their Asian Games debut are sports such as flag football, jetski, paragliding and beach athletics, among others, all of which might also be on the program at the inaugural World Beach Games in 2017. The first edition was recently approved at ANOC general assembly in Bangkok, with a site still to be determined.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), has emphasized the significance of these games in Asia as a stepping stone to the world edition in three years.

"Phuket is important because all of the sports are knocking on the door to be in the World Beach Games," Sheikh Ahmad said.

"We are using the Asian Games to analyze all of these sports. We can evaluate these sports technically and forecast everything with the experts to see which can be logical to be in our beach games program,"

"Some of these sports are using these games to prove themselves to us," the sheikh added. "I think we will receive a lot of requests to be in our games."

Thai Sport Sepaktakraw Thrills

Beach sepaktakraw is a southeast Asian sport similar to volleyball, played with a 12-hole, 44 cm circumference plastic ball and participants using their feet, knees, head and chest. Spectacular upside-down kicking motions are often performed to win points.

"This sport is famous in Thailand," said Sornpithak Sriring, 32, a veteran on the Thai national team. "I think it is interesting and exciting with many tactics and everyone fighting to get points."

In Phuket, the traditional Thai game has been well-attended with enthusiastic supporters packing the Patong Beach venue. Thailand handily defeated Iran on Sunday, winning consecutive matches and four straight sets to the delight of the home crowd.

Sriring said that sepaktakraw is arguably the second most popular sport in Thailand, rivaling volleyball and only behind soccer.

The first versions of the sepaktakraw were not competitive, but cooperative displays of skill for exercise and to improve dexterity.

Modern versions of the sport began taking shape in Thailand in the early 1740s with the first competition rules being drafted in 1829 by the Siam Sports Association.

Ten beach sepaktakraw teams are competing in Phuket, with Thailand as the nation to beat.

Woodball Sparks Interest

Somewhat of a blend between golf and croquet, the Asian sport of woodball is gaining more notoriety. The game was developed in Taiwan around 1990.

Competitors swing a mallet much like a golf club, sending a larger wooden ball down grassy, or at the beach games, sandy fairways. The ball must be knocked through a medal rod hanging from a small gate.

"It’s easy to play and relaxing – the young generation is interested and have come to play woodball," said Pabhawin Attasilapakit of the Thailand Woodball Federation.

Courses have six fairways, ranging from 30 to 80 yards each, and are categorized as pars three to five as in golf. Obstacles include trees, grassy knolls and small ponds with ropes signifying out of bounds.

"It resembles golf, but you can play every day, it is economical and we can preserve the environment with the courses," said Thomas Kok, the Malaysian president of the Asian Woodball Federation.

"At first, it appears to be an old man game, but gradually schools and universities took it on and we can see many youngsters playing woodball here at the Asian Beach Games," Kok said.

Matches are contested individually and as teams, both in stroke play and fairways (match play) competitions. In singles stroke play, ten rounds of six fairways will determine the champion, while in the team event it is eight rounds.

Eight nations, with male and female representatives, are participating in Phuket on two courses at the Karin Beach venue.

Leading nations are Thailand, Taiwan Hong Kong and Malaysia.

After six rounds of stroke play competition, both Thai male and female woodballers are in first, second and third place.

Auspicious Start for Thailand

Host Thailand boasts a significant lead in the medal count through Monday, with 42 medals including 13 gold.

Vietnam is second with 22 medals, followed by China and Iran, with 18 and 16 respectively.

Japan and Mongolia are tied for second in gold medals, each with six.

Nine medals are up for grabs on Tuesday, including the beach basketball finales, in beach sepaktakraw and five in cable wakeboard and wakeskate.

Written by Brian Pinelli

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