PR Newswire
03 Oct 2023, 23:55 GMT+10
BEIJING, Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from People's Daily: Among the 40 sports at the Hangzhou Asian Games, nine are non-Olympic, including mind sports go, chess, bridge, and e-sports, martial arts jujitsu, Kurash, and karate, as well as squash, cricket, sepak takraw, kabaddi, Wushu, dragon boat, and softball.
Photo shows a women's kabaddi game between Nepal and Bangladesh at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Oct. 2, 2023. (Photo by Han Xiaoming/People's Daily)
Many of these events carry distinct Asian characteristics and thus build a stage to showcase the blending of sports and cultures.
At the cricket venue of the Hangzhou Asian Games, cheers frequently arose from the stands.
"We bought tickets to several cricket matches. Cricket is hugely popular in India, just like table tennis in China. We've been watching cricket games and playing cricket since we were young," said Batra, an Indian spectator who came to Hangzhou for the Asian Games.
Asia is vast in territory with a large population, diverse cultures and a long history.
"The selection of non-Olympic sports at the Asian Games fully considered the popularity of different sports across Asia," said Zhu Qinan, director of the competition department of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee.
For instance, Wushu, sepak takraw, cricket, jujitsu and Kurash carry regional characteristics of East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia respectively, he explained.
These non-Olympic sports have enriched the competitions at the Asian Games and interpret the beauty of diversity of Asian sports, Zhu remarked.
The Asian Games is like a window, which not only brings regionally popular sports into public view, but also facilitates cultural exchanges and mutual learning between different cultures.
At the sepak takraw games of the Hangzhou Asian Games, whether scoring or making a turnover, players from both teams would gather in a circle on either side of the court, join hands with their teammates, and shout out loud together.
"This was my first time watching a sepak takraw match. I felt the teamwork essence of this sport," a spectator from Jinhua, Zhejiang province said.
The roster of non-Olympic sports at each Asian Games has been quite dynamic, with certain sports "rotating in and out" over the years and new ones frequently making debut appearances.
"The Asian Games has always maintained an open and inclusive attitude, continuously embracing emerging sports that are popular and carry the features of the times," said Liu Mingyi, a professor with Wuhan Sports University.
In his opinion, this kind of flexible arrangement helps the Asian Games maintain appeal and get closer to the general public.
Get a daily dose of Malaysia Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Malaysia Sun.
More InformationBEIJING, China: President Xi Jinping is set to visit Vietnam on December 12 and 13, where he will engage with ...
KATHMANDU, Nepal - The Rukum Paschim District Court sentenced 24 people to life in prison for their roles in the ...
JAKARTA, Indonesia: The death toll from the eruption of Indonesia's Marapi volcano surged to 22 as rescuers discovered additional climbers ...
DHAKA, Bangladesh - PM Sheikh Hasina is ranked 46th on Forbes' list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women in ...
LAHORE, Pakistan - According to the Lahore police Organized Crime Unit (OCU), a gang of robbers has been arrested in ...
BUKITTINGGI, Indonesia: On December 2, Mount Marapi in West Sumatra province, Indonesia, erupted, sending hot ash clouds several miles (kilometers) ...
TOKYO, Japan: Japan, Britain, and Italy are set to establish a new collaborative organization and industry group dedicated to developing ...
LOS ANGELES, California: This week, members of the SAG-AFTRA actors union approved a three-year contract with major studios, formally ending ...
LAS VEGAS, Nevada: The U.S. Transportation Department has allocated US$3 billion for a $12 billion Las Vegas to Southern California ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: U.S. gasoline prices could fall below US$3 a gallon for the first time since 2021 and are currently ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: To fix issues that could lead to further bank failures in the U.S., such as the collapse of ...
ARLINGTON, Virginia: This week, Reuters reported that Boeing delivered 46 narrowbody 737s jets in November. The total brings the U.S. ...