Sepaktakraw athletes representing Laos in both male and female categories secured bronze medals at the Asian Games 2023 on Wednesday.
Sepaktakraw is a team sport played with a ball made of rattan or synthetic plastic between two teams of three players on a court resembling a badminton court. Players are only allowed to use their feet, knees, shoulders, chest, and head to touch the ball.
The journey to the bronze medal was not easy for the male Lao national team, as they had to face off against strong opponents from Thailand and Japan. The team lost to Thailand three games to nil but secured victory over Japan with a two-game victory. The team then faced group B leader Malaysia, where Laos unfortunately lost 2-nil.
Laos’ female Sepaktakraw team also had a challenging journey towards winning the bronze medal. The team lost to South Korea 3-nil but gave a better performance in their second match where they beat China 2-1. However, while facing off against Thailand, the Lao athletes lost 2-nil, earning them the third spot in the category.
The Sepaktakraw Federation in Laos has secured a total of 13 medals from the Asian Games since 1974, including three silver medals from the 2006 and 2018 games.
