15th January, 2025: The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup being held at Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi has turned out to be a blockbuster event
Players from 23 countries have gathered in the capital city to be a part of the global competition featuring 20 men’s and 19 women’s teams.
Australia’s vice captain Bridgette Cottrill is delighted to be a part of the World Cup and hopes that the sport will find a place in the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
“We had an epic game. The result didn’t go our way, but we had the most amazing time. The energy was high. It’s actually our first time playing as a full unit. We’re from different cities across Australia. So to get together and play is such a good feeling,” she said.
“Look, I mean, we have a really good friendly rivalry with England in cricket, soccer and rugby. So we were expecting that they were going to come out strong and they have had their national league a lot longer than we have. We knew that we’re going to be good, but no better way to start the series than with such a good team,” she added.
Cottrill who is an experienced sportsperson and has played netball, basketball, equestrian, explains how she got to know about the Kho Kho. “I’d never actually heard of Kho Kho before. I’ve heard a lot about Kabaddi, AFL players have played Kabaddi. But I never heard of Kho Kho. A friend of a friend called me up. I then rallied some friends. So, I only learned the rules recently. We have formed a good and strong squad, we have been training pretty regularly, trying to get prepared for the competition.”
Being a part of other sports has helped Cottrill in learning the nuances of Kho Kho quickly. “I’ve been a long distance runner. So that endurance has certainly helped agility. The strategy is something that I’ve never come across. It’s kind of like a half chess, half, running endurance kind of game. So, yeah, it’s been great to learn,” she pointed.
The Aussie who hails from Albury is enjoying her time in India. “I’m a public servant who works on policy for climate in the Pacific. It’s been amazing being here. India has always been in my bucket list. It has such a beautiful culture to learn and to come here and to experience the incredible people and the friendliness of everyone is so great. They have put on a real show for us, the food, we’re staying at such a beautiful place and even the drive-in to the stadium every day has been just amazing,” she concluded.
ABOUT KHO KHO FEDERATION OF INDIA
The Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) is the national governing body for Kho-Kho in India with Shri Sudhanshu Mittal as the President of the organisation. All the state associations are affiliated to the National Federation which conducts the National Championship for Men, Women and Junior classes every year. Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK), a franchise-based Indian Kho-Kho league, is hosted in collaboration with KKFI.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL KHO KHO FEDERATION
The International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF) is the prime authority responsible for the governance and administration of Kho Kho worldwide. As an international non-governmental organization, the IKKF collaborates with National Kho Kho Federations, which oversee the sport at the national level and are affiliated with the IKKF. National Federations seeking recognition from the IKKF must align their statutes, practices, and activities with those of the IKKF while maintaining their independence and autonomy.