Sepak Takraw, a Sport of Airborne Athleticism

2 weeks ago 1

This year’s Southeast Asian Games are coming to a close today in Cambodia. One of the sports featured in the games is sepak takraw, also called chinlone or “kick volleyball.” It’s a team sport where players volley a small woven ball over a five-foot-high (1.52-meter-high) net using any body part except for their arms and hands. Players leap high into the air, launching themselves sideways or flipping upside down to kick, pass, or block the ball, their body repeatedly flying up and crashing back to the court. Gathered below are recent images of people playing sepak takraw in both stadiums and neighborhood courts.

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Two athletes leap high into the air to kick a small ball over a net.

Malaysia's Muhammad Hafizul Adnan (right) vies for the ball with Cambodia's Phom Kongkia during their men's sepak takraw team match at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 12, 2023. #

Nhac Nguyen / AFP / Getty

An athlete leaps and kicks a small ball over a net, into three jumping defenders.

Indonesia's Saiful Rizal jumps for the ball against Japan in the sepak takraw men's quadrant final during the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia, on September 1, 2018. #

Mohd Rasfan / AFP / Getty

An athlete stretches to kick a ball high above their head.

Laos's Namfon Morladok, seen in action during a Malaysia versus Laos sepak takraw match at the Southeast Asian Games, at Hoang Mai Sports Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, on May 14, 2022. #

Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

An athlete leaps beside a net to block a kicked ball.

Thailand's Manlika Bunthod (right) vies for the ball with Malaysia's Nur Athirah Roslan during their women's sepak takraw doubles match at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, on May 12, 2023. #

Nhac Nguyen / AFP / Getty

An athlete twists sideways during a high jump to kick a ball over a net.

Thailand's Thawisak Thongsai leaps during the men's team match against Cambodia at the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, on May 13, 2023. #

Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

Three people are seen kicking a ball over a net in an outdoor playground.

Men play a game of sepak takraw in Bangkok on January 25, 2022. #

Jack Taylor / AFP / Getty

An athlete balances a ball on their foot, which is raised high above their head.

Thailand's Lac Somruedee Pruepruk balances the ball during the sepak takraw women's match against Malaysia, at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, on May 17, 2022. #

Ye Aung Thu / AFP / Getty

Two athletes are seen in mid-leap, twisting to kick a ball over a net.

Jirasak Pakbuangoen of Thailand (right) kicks a ball against Muhammad Noaraizat Mohd Nordin of Malaysia during the final men's team sepak takraw match between Thailand and Malaysia, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on May 17, 2022. #

Achmad Ibrahim / AP

Several men kick a ball over a net at an informal outdoor court.

Men vie for the ball as they play sepak takraw in a park in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 15, 2019. #

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

An athlete reaches their leg high in the air, kicking a small ball.

Singapore's Muhammad Danish Irfan bin Muhamad Faizal kicks the ball in the group stage sepak takraw match against Malaysia in Phnom Penh, on May 16, 2023. #

Nhac Nguyen / AFP / Getty

Two athletes leap into the air to kick a ball over a net.

Philippines's Rhey Jey C Ortouste (left) competes against Malaysia's Muhammad Afifuddin Mohd Nordin during the men's sepak takraw semifinal at the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, on May 17, 2022. #

Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters

An athlete leaps and twists to kick a small ball above them.

Myanmar's Theiri Aung, seen in action during the women's sepak takraw semifinal against Vietnam, at the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, on May 17, 2022. #

Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters

A player leaps and twists sideways to kick a small ball over a net.

Indonesia's Rusdi kicks the ball in the men's sepak takraw final between Indonesia and Thailand, in Hanoi, on May 21, 2022. #

Nhac Nguyen / AFP / Getty

An athlete kicks a ball high above their head.

Malaysia's Muhammad Haziq Nizam kicks the ball against Cambodia during their men's sepak takraw team match at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, on May 12, 2023. #

Nhac Nguyen / AFP / Getty

Two teams of three athletes face off on either side of a net.

Laos' Santisouk Chandala serves in the women's match against Malaysia, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on May 14, 2022. #

Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

A player gets one leg tangled over a net while falling during a game.

A player gets tangled while falling during a game of sepak takraw in Bangkok, on January 25, 2022. #

Jack Taylor / AFP / Getty

An athlete jumps high and kicks a ball across a net toward a defender.

Malaysia's Muhammad Noraizat, (left) kicks a ball against Indonesia's Muhammad Hardiansyah during the men's team doubles sepak takraw final match at the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, on May 15, 2023. #

Tatan Syuflana / AP