KUALA LUMPUR – Saudi Arabia achieved a historic milestone today after notching their first win in the Sepak Takraw World Cup, beating France 2-0 in Group A’s Division 1 doubles event.
The Saudi squad, only formed a year ago, saw their duo of Sami Hussain Alanzi and Saif Muddhhi Aienzi record a comfortable 15-7, 15-12 victory over France’s Louis Marchadier and Mathieu Fleutret.
Sami Hussain expressed his elation at the win, particularly after experiencing defeat against Germany yesterday.
“This is the first match that we have won since we started playing takraw a year ago.
“We have players who have only played for six months but they trained hard and showed what they could do. I’m happy that we are here and have our first win today.
“We have another game (against Pakistan) tomorrow and hopefully we can secure another victory,” said the telecoms executive.
Initially, Sami Hussain played sepak takraw recreationally but has now developed a deep passion for the sport.
“Today, I can’t get enough of playing; I love everything about the sport. It’s challenging, and the sense of community is enriching.
“I’ve formed many meaningful friendships and learned from coaches through playing… this is why I’m so passionate about sepak takraw.
“We work nine hours every day and dedicate three hours to training… that is most likely how the day goes, I am happy about it,” said the doubles captain.
He added that sepak takraw in Saudi Arabia only started last year and is not widely popular.
But there are grassroots programmes in place aimed at 12 to 16-year-olds to discover new talent and expand the player pool, spearheaded by their Thai coach, Veeras Na Nongkhai.
“Some of our players are either students or have full-time jobs, limiting their training to two hours a day.
“I teach them about teamwork, ball control, and the other basics of sepak takraw, as it is not easy to play the game with the ball frequently airborne.
“Their main challenge lies in flexibility. You need to be physically flexible to play sepak takraw,” said Nongkhai.
Despite challenges, Nongkhai believes the sport can flourish in the Gulf nation, especially with government support.
“Government support is key and we are receiving it. I hope the Saudi government can also have an association to govern the sport and form a committee made up of athletes.
“With the sports authority’s support, we can focus on promoting the sport and increasing its popularity,” he added. – May 19, 2024