New Delhi, Dec 24
'Co Co!' is how the Australians call Kho Kho. It just took some googling and training sessions that were held in the cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, and the sport was warmly accepted. They are now gearing up to be a part of the inaugural World Cup scheduled to take place here from January 13 to 19.
The Australians have always been known for having a rich sporting culture. From cricket to rugby, they have been a force to reckon with and are all set to excel at Kho Kho where they will be featuring in both men's and women's categories.
From each team of 15, besides there being a handful of Indians, there are 6 male and 8 female players of Australian origin. Gus Dowdle, one of the members of the team, expressed delight and excitement of coming to India and being a part of history.
“It's an honour to represent Australia as a great sporting nation, we're always willing to try sports that we haven't played before, and it's an amazing opportunity for me to be able to bring Australia's sporting values of fair play, competitiveness, and perseverance to the World Cup. I've found that it's such a fast and hard game. At the same time, it's so much fun and I'm so excited to play in the global event,” he said.
The sport is getting a lot of support from the fans within the country and are super excited that an Australian team will be competing in the multi-nation tournament.
“We are getting a lot of support from the fans, they've all been so excited to find out that Australia has a team in the World Cup. For those who knew of Kho Kho, it's great and for those who are finding out about the sport, they've all been so excited and proud to learn that Australia has a team,” he added.
Kho Kho Australia Federation is very keen to develop the sport in the country and develop a team to be reckoned with. The long-term focus is to develop Kho Kho at the grassroots level to ensure sustained growth of the sport. When an Indian-origin game, such as Kho Kho, is played in Australia opens a space for community exchange and cultural celebration.
In words of Ojas Kulkarni, an integral part of the team who has been associated with the game for more than a decade, said "The social and emotional benefits of participating in this culturally significant sport go beyond physical health. It promotes inclusivity, respect for diversity, and mutual understanding among different communities. As these sports grow in popularity, they also become a bridge, facilitating conversations about culture, identity, and community values."
The teams have been preparing and training intensively for the upcoming World Cup. There’s a particular and personalised fitness training plan for each player.
The players in the same city train together three times a week. Two sessions during the week are focused on fitness and agility, while the weekend session is dedicated to developing Kho Kho skills.
A total of 41 international teams from 24 countries across six continents will compete in the week-long mega event. As many as 21 men's and 20 women's teams from Europe, Oceania, Asia, Africa, North America and the South American continents will compete for the world title, which will be held on a league-cum-knockout basis.