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The games people play at the Games

By Cui Jia and Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-12 08:08
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 The games people play at the Games
Sepak takraw
Otherwise known as "kick volleyball", the sport is played on a court roughly the same size as a badminton court, one which two teams made up of two or three people hit a hand-woven ball (takraw) over a net. Points are scored when the ball hits the fall. Players can use their feet, legs, shoulders or head to keep the ball in play but cannot use their hands. The game is believed to date back as early as the 9th century, with the ball originally made out of rattan stems. It is traditionally played in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore, and is now popular in Philippines, Thailand, Myammar and Laos. Debut at Asian Games: Beijing 1990

 The games people play at the Games
Xiangqi
One of China's most popular board games, two-players compete as armies and must capture their rival's "general" (similar to the king in chess) to win. Each player takes turns to move one of 16 pieces, which all have different movements, on a board that is 9 lines by 10 lines. Opponents can capture each other's pieces by moving theirs to the same intersection. Historians say the game has been played since the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). As well as China, many people in Vietnam also play.Debut at Asian Games: Guangzhou 2010

 The games people play at the Games
Wushu
Also known as Chinese martial arts, athletes perform compulsory or individual routines, with judges marking them on the kungfu patterns and maneuvers they use. Competitive wushu is composed of two disciplines - taolu (forms) and sanshou (free sparring) - and includes long boxing, southern-style boxing, tai chi, short weapon play and long weapon play. In taolu, judges also look for basic movements, such as stances, kicks, punches, jumps, sweeps and throws. Debut at Asian Games: Beijing 1990

 The games people play at the Games
Kabaddi
Played on an area 13 meters by 10 meters (12 x 10 for women), two teams of seven compete over two 20-minute periods. Teams take turns in "raiding" their opponents half to tug as many people as possible without taking a breath, while defenders make a chain to stop them. It is a game of agility, lung capacity, mentality and quick response. Historians say this combative sport was probably invented to ward off attacks from wild animals in ancient times. Today, it is popular throughout South Asia. Debut at Asian Games: Beijing 1990

 The games people play at the Games
Roller sport
Athletes compete in two disciplines: inline speed skating and artistic skating. Like ice-skating events at the winter Olympics, the first is simply on-track racing, while the second involves skaters performing a routine that displays control and accuracy. The games have been popular worldwide since New Yorker James Plimpton solved the problem of controlling skates in 1863 by using a rubber cushion to anchor the axles. Debut at Asian Games: Guangzhou 2010

 

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