Asian Games 2018: India win first-ever sepak takraw bronze
History has been created as India won a medal in sepak takraw for the first time in the Asian Games.
However, the men's regu team lost to defending champion Thailand.
Sepak takraw is a game which is wildly popular in southeast Asia, this gravity-defying form of "foot volleyball" has become an Asian Games smash-hit since it was first introduced in 1990 and is largely dominated by Thailand.
An explosive sport in which players acrobatically contort their bodies to launch a rattan ball over a net using their feet, head or chest with the sort of skill that would make Lionel Messi proud.
HISTORY CREATED!
— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) August 21, 2018
Kudos to the Indian Sepak Takraw team.
Not only did they become India's 1st team in the sport to reach the Semi-finals of the Team Regu Event at #ASIANGAMES2018 and also winning a?medal. FANTASTIC TEAM EFFORT by the boys! #IndiaAtAsianGames pic.twitter.com/qCqV6OhR0g
The Indian men's regu team lost to Thailand 0-2 but picked up a bronze as both the losing semifinalists are also awarded a medal.
India had defeated Iran 21-16, 19-21, 21- 17 in the first match to make a winning start to their campaign.
India, however, lost to Indonesia 0-3 in the second Preliminary Group B match of the day but still advanced to the last-four stage and be guaranteed of at least a bronze.