THEMERCURY.COM.AU THURSDAY OCTOBER 30 2014 NEWS 33

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LearningSources and useful links: britannica.com japan-guide.com

ocasia.org afcasiancup.com

FROM MARTIAL ARTS TO MODERN-DAY SPORTS, ASIA HAS A RICH SPORTING HISTORY AND INTEREST IN EXPANDING

ITS INFLUENCE ON A GLOBAL LEVEL

SPORTING NATIONS

Poster 4 in a series of 10 to complement the Asia Uncovered NIE kit, compiled by Karina Grift

ASIA UNCOVERED

MODERN-DAY SPORTS

Every four years the biggest multi-sport event outside of the Olympic Games takes place: the Asian Games.

The Asian Games follow the same sports program as the Olympic Games with swimming and athletics as the core sports. It also includes sports that reAect Asia’s diverse culture such as sepaktakraw from southeast Asia, kabaddi from south Asia and wushu from east Asia.

Sepaktakraw is a form of kick volleyball played with the feet, knee, head and chest, passing a ball over a net.

Kabaddi is a two-team sport with four players on each team. Players score points by raiding into the opponents’ court and touching, tagging or wrestling as many players as possible while holding their breath. The player then has to return to his court on the same breath.

Wushu has two disciplines: exhibition, called taolu, and full-contact, called sanda. Taolu is a combination of gymnastics and martial arts in which competitors are judged on their stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps, sweeps and throws. Sanda is a modern Jghting method, much like kickboxing.

FAST FACTS■ The Asian Games are

described as the second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games

■ The most recent Asian Games were held in Incheon, Korea in September 2014

■ The next Asian Cup (soccer) will be held in Australia in January 2015

SUMO WRESTLING

Sumo is an ancient form of Japanese wrestling that is also the country’s national sport. It is steeped in tradition and includes rituals that are linked to religious beliefs, such as the puriJcation of the ring with salt.

But, in the end, the sport is all about size, weight and strength. The winner is the Jrst wrestler to force his opponent to step out of the ring or touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet.

ASIAN CUP

The world game of soccer is popular in Asia and the continent hosts its own competition every four years, the Asian Cup, which includes Australia.

We will have an opportunity to experience the Asian Cup in January when Australia hosts the 2015 event.

This is an international tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation. Sixteen teams qualify to compete in the tournament and vie for the prestigious title of the champion of Asia.

The winner automatically qualiZes for the FIFA World Cup.

Matches for the 2015 Asian Cup will be held in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle and Melbourne from January 9-31.

MARTIAL ART

Kung fu, judo, karate and kendo are just some of the many forms of martial art that originated in Asia.

Martial arts can be divided into the armed and unarmed arts. Armed arts include archery, spearmanship and swordmanship, while unarmed arts use the hands and feet for striking or grappling. There are many diOerent derivatives of the arts such as aikido, hapkido, tae kwon do and tau chi chuan.

Martial arts are also practised as a means of spiritual development with links to the beliefs of Daosiam and Buddhism.

The arts have grown popular in Western culture, particularly judo and taekwondo and both have been added to the Olympic Games as medal sports.