KUNMING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A record roster of 28 teams will mark this year's 2019 Asian Sepak Takraw Championship to be held in Kunming, Yunnan next month. The championship, taking place from June 10 to 14, will be the first time China has hosted the event.
"China's ability to manage sporting events and Kunming's unparalleled position has won the trust of many countries and players," Abdul Halim, president of the Asian Sepakt Association, told a press conference here on Friday.
Wu Yamin, deputy director of the Yunnan Provincial Sports Bureau, pointed out the advantage of Kunming when holding a top class continental event like the Asian Sepaktakrae Championship.
"Yunnan is near to Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, where Sepaktakraw is very popular. The similar climate and living habits have made people living in Yunnan's border areas such as Dehong, Xishuangbanna and Lincang gradually love the sport too," he said.
Sepak Takraw is a traditional sport in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. It combines the characteristics of volleyball, football and badminton, and is known for being both technical and highly skilful. In 1990, Sepak Takraw became the official competition for the Asian Games for the first time.
"With the upgrading of the level of professionalism through continuous skills improvement of its stakeholders, we are confident that in the not-too-distant future, the sport of Sepak Takraw will be included in the Olympic Games," said Halim.
