New Delhi
The Australian Kho Kho team, which trained in training camps held in the cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, is gearing up for next month’s World Cup. Australians pronounce kho-kho as ‘ko-ko’. All it took was some correct pronunciation (Googling) and training sessions being held in the cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. Now the Australian team is gearing up to be a part of the first World Cup to be held in Delhi from 13 to 19 January 2025.
Australia is participating in both men’s and women’s categories in this tournament. Each team of 15 players has six men and eight women of Australian origin, apart from a few Indians.
Gus Dowdle, a member of the team, expressed his joy and excitement at coming to India and being a part of history, saying, “It is an honor to represent Australia as a great sporting nation. We’re always willing to try games we haven’t played before and this is an amazing opportunity for me to bring Australian sporting values such as fair play, competition and tenacity to the World Cup. I have found it to be a very fast and difficult game. “Also, it is a lot of fun and that is why I am very excited to play in this global competition.”
He said, “We are getting a lot of support from sports lovers. They are all very excited to know that the Australian team is in the World Cup. “For people who know about Kho-Kho, it is great and for people who are just learning about the game, they are all very excited and proud to know that Australia has a team.” Ojas Kulkarni, an integral part of the team for over a decade, said, “The social and emotional benefits of participating in this culturally significant sport go beyond the physical health. “It promotes inclusivity, respect for diversity and mutual understanding between different communities.”
