Do not dodge this ball game talk
Set a date with Malaysian world champs at health expo
PETALING JAYA: It was six years ago that Chong Hwei Xian’s love for dodgeball, a game usually played during physical education classes in schools, blossomed.
The Team Malaysia women’s captain said a friend who played dodgeball at university introduced her to the game.
“She brought me in for tryouts and I immediately fell in love with the sport,” she said.
Chong, 26, and Team Malaysia will be at the Star Health Expo 2018 on July 13 at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, to introduce the public to the game.
“We will be there to showcase our skills, to share our experiences on how we became champions in the World Dodgeball Championship.
“There will also be a Team Malaysia exhibition match, Open dodgeball clinic, Top Shot (an accuracy game) and other activities which allow participants to have fun with basic dodgeball skills of throwing and dodging.
“Apart from dodgeball, you will get to see a wide range of products on display and health consultants to help guide you to a more healthy lifestyle for you and your family at the exhibition,” said Chong.
Team Malaysia will head to Los Angeles, the United States, in October to defend both the men’s and women’s titles as the current world champions.
Should they win, Malaysia will be the first country to win back-to-back world champion titles.
Chong said she picked up dodgeball pretty easily, as it was an easy game to learn.
“Just an hour of learning the basics and you are able to play the game.
“It can be played as a leisure activity or competitively,” she said.
Playing it professionally, however, is more difficult.
“When played professionally, it requires a lot of dynamic physical movements such as dodging in the air, short sprint, jump throws and mental strength,” she said.
Dodgeball, she said, is also becoming a very popular game for women.
“Every year there is a growing number of women participating in the tournaments organised by Malaysia Association of Dodgeball (MAD),” she said.
Star Health Expo 2018 with the theme Get Fit. Live Great! is to inspire Malaysians to lead a healthy lifestyle by being physically and mentally fit.
Star Health Expo 2018 is organised by I.Star Events Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Star Media Group Bhd, with Great Eastern Life as exclusive event partner.
It will be held in Halls 1 to 3 of the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre from July 13 to 15.
It is open from 10am to 7pm. Admission is free.
For more information, call 03-7967 1388 (ext 1541/1097) or visit www.facebook.com/ starhealthexpo.