South Korea’s skipper Dong Ju Hong reckons that the Indian kabaddi team is very strong and will be the favourites to win the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup.
Hong, who is nicknamed as the Korea Cheetah, is an all-rounder who will be leading his side at the upcoming 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, which will be held in Ahmedabad, India from 7 October 2016. The captain was a part of the South Korea team which had won the bronze medals at the 2013 Incheon Asian Indoor Games and the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
“The Indian team is strong enough to be champions, but their skills, strategies, tactics are well-known to all because of video-analysis and rival teams watching players in the pro-kabaddi league. We will analyse every single player's skill,” said Hong to the Times of India.
Also read: All you need to know about the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup
The skipper also spoke about how the sport came into existence in his country back in 2002. He said, “The Korea Kabaddi Association came into existence in 2002. Club teams were put in place after the 2002 Busan Asian Games. Until 2010, there were only club teams in South Korea. There was never a National team that could participate in the Asian Games.”
Dong also highlighted the support from the Korea Olympic Council to help build a team. “The Korea Olympic Council (KOC) extended support to the Korea Kabaddi Association in 2010 to organise training camps and build a National team. That allowed us to field a team in the 2010 Asiad in Guangzhou for the first time.”
Stint in India useful for the team
Hong, who has been with the Dabang Delhi franchise of the Pro Kabaddi League, also spoke about the help he and his fellow teammates have received from his Indian stint. “Before 2013, we used to practise only with the help of videos. We did not have any strategies. We possess too many skills either. But in 2013, Jaivir Sharma, an Indian coach, visited Korea for six months. He taught us the basics of the sport.”
The South Korean also revealed that he is inspired and wants to learn from the likes of Anup Kumar, Rakesh Kumar and Sandeep Narwal. Talking about his team’s chances at the upcoming World Cup, the Korean skipper said that he is confident that his side will reach the last four of the tournament, and he hopes to face India in the final.
