When they started selling tickets to the 2026 Asian Games earlier this year, I bought two tickets to see sepak takraw. I wanted to see a sport that I can’t see live in Japan. Sepak takraw is played throughout Southeast Asia. The name comes from two languages, Malay and Thai, and it means “kick ball.” The sport is like volleyball, but the players use their feet and their heads to pass and make shots. I went to see the semi-finals on Monday with an American friend, and we had a great time. We didn’t know the rules, but we guessed them just by watching. Sepak takraw players are real athletes and amazing acrobats. They can make incredible spike shots while doing a backflip!   (123 words)

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