Bicycle kicks are infrequent in football. But, when one connects, it’s a sight to behold. Now imagine a bicycle kick every few seconds, and a badminton-like court instead of a football pitch. Confused?
This is sepak takraw, a southeast Asian sport that is similar to volleyball, but differs in one crucial aspect. You can’t use your hands.
It’s a sport that gave India a bronze at the Asian Games today.
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"Sepak" means to smash or kick in the Malay language, while "Takraw" comes from the Thai language, meaning “rattan ball”. The aim is to hit the ball over the net and make your opponent miss it. That’s how you score a point. Players can use their legs, head and torso to contact the ball, but no hands or arms.
According to the Sepaktakraw Federation of India, “the sport was introduced in India in 1980 when a group of sports enthusiasts in Nagpur obtained printed materials and photographs from the Sepaktakraw Federation of Malaysia.” It was then made a demonstration sport at the 1982 Asian Games held in Delhi. Reportedly, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi encouraged the sport, and wanted India’s indigenous sports like kho-kho to be popularised in Malaysia. The sport made its Asiad debut in Beijing 1990, and Thailand has dominated the event since.
The rules are thus: The match is played with two teams (regus) made up of three players each. The player who serves has to stand inside the service circle, but can move about freely there on. The first team to score 21 points wins the set. To win the match, a team has to win two out of three sets.
Today, Thailand, the defending champions, beat India 2-0. But, as it was a semifinal, India got its first ever medal in the sport.
Interestingly, India seems to have another connection to the sport. At the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, there is a mural depicting Hanuman playing sepaktakraw with a bunch of monkeys. And, given that link, India had to win someday, right?