Fighting Fever

With four new martial arts introduced into this year’s Asiad lineup, viewers can expect a slew of similarly intense grappling matches – but how to tell the difference between the styles? With their origins sharing the same motivation – defense without wea

This Japanese martial art emphasises the technique of manipulating momentum, instead of brute force, to overcome an opponent. It was developed as a form of combat for samurai who had been thrown off their horses or lost their weapons on the battlefield. Because the warriors wore restrictive armour, jujitsu involves a large number of moves that can be executed in spite of reduced agility. To win, wrestlers attempt to attack their opponent by redirecting his force back against him. This sport originated from Uzbekistan over 3,500 years ago and is considered one of the world’s oldest martial arts. It was used in multiple ways: as exercise, a way to train armies for self-defence, and as a method for brides to select grooms by challenging suitors to a match. Kurash competitions were often held during holidays and celebrations, and after the country’s independence in 1991, the sport gained popularity across the world. Points are awarded mainly for throwing an opponent on the ground.

READY, SET, WRESTLE Jujitsu Kurash

A type of Chinese martial art, sanda was derived from traditional wushu techniques, including hand-to-hand combat, punching and grappling. Also known as sanshou, sanda originated from free sparring matches by Chinese soldiers in the early 19th century, subsequently developed into a method of self-cultivation, then eventually became a type of military training to keep soldiers on their feet during ground combat. Competitive matches often resulted in death, so rules were added prohibiting attacks with elbows or knees. With roots in jujitsu, kurash and wushu (among other sports), Russian sambo is a combat technique developed by the Soviet military in the early 20th century. Sambo emerged when Russian fighters, exposed to a multitude of Eastern and Western fighting styles, attempted to combine them all into one superior technique designed to stop adversaries – armed or not – in the shortest time possible. There are three types of sambo: sport, freestyle and combat. The sport version, which resembles judo, will be played at the Games.

Sanda Sambo

Opinions differ on who invented paragliding: American aeronautical engineer David Barish, who developed the first paragliding device in the 1960s using advanced aerofoil technology, or the American military, who were said to have launched the first mass parachute landing exercises. Barish’s contraption, called the Sailwing, was launched off grassy slopes, and he envisioned them being the star of a new sport at ski resorts, “slope soaring” – but the idea never took off.

Nevertheless, it was in 1978 that the sport gained popularity, after a group of three Frenchmen – testing out alternative methods to train for aircraft spot landings – used a modified parachute to jump off a mountain in the Alps and glide to a football field 1,000 metres below.

Today, modern paragliders are lightweight, resembling a winged parachute, and competitors fly solo along a course called a task, which they aim to complete in the shortest time possible. Pilots must navigate weather, land features, and turning points from a harness underneath the paraglider wings.

Frequency: Every four years First Games: 1995, Uzbekistan Past Games: 5 Countries: 5 Organiser: Olympic Council of Asia Frequency: Every four years First Games: 1993, China Past Games: 6 Countries: 8 Organiser: East Asian Games Association

Central Asian Games East Asian Games

Kov’s story has inspired a new generation of young women to take up the sport, with female crews slowly filling up the capital’s few skateboarding areas over the past three years.

“Before I started, I didn’t know what skateboarding was – and I didn’t see people doing it, especially girls,” says Kov. “When we compare the past to now, it’s totally different, because female participation has increased. I see more and more girls [skating] now.”

The influential 26-year-old skateboarder picked up the sport just six years ago, after her interest in the sport led her to take free lessons at Skateistan. There, she observed how the boys in the class looked down on girls’ abilities to perform tricks.

“I wanted to change their mind!” she says. “I tried to put myself deeper into skateboarding, to practise it and learn it, because I wanted to show them girls could do anything they could – and do it better.” Today, she regularly beats the boys at games of S.K. A.T.E. (a trick contest between two skateboarders), and has even skated with American personalities Tony Hawk, Mimi Knoop and Neftalie Williams. At work, she acts as a role model for Skateistan’s students, especially girls – who comprise half the student body. Many come from low-income families or live with disabilities.

“Phnom Penh is a small city with a lot of people and many street kids. It remains one of the poorest countries in Asia,” Kov says. “Skating helped me to get far away from bad situations. I have a lot of friends through it. And I’m going to use it as a tool to empower the world.”

Sometimes you get unlucky and don’t do well on the first match.”

The future was kinder to Kadir, who went on to win six medals from events like the Commonwealth Games and Asian Championship. Now 70, Singapore’s most decorated boxer returns to the Asian Games in August, this time as an International Technical Official, where he will use his lifelong knowledge of the sport and his position as coach of the Singapore boxing team to ensure smooth and fair management of the Games’ boxing events. Kadir admits that training regimens for athletes have grown far more advanced over the years, with high-tech equipment and a more scientific approach to getting boxers in top fighting form.

“You can say I’ve come full circle with boxing,” he quips. “I’ve been involved in all aspects of this sport. I love it, and I will continue to be part of it for as long as I can.”