Introduction
Australia is a big country populated with diverse ethnic groups. Sports are major events in Australia. There are many sports practiced in this country, and this essay will briefly discuss the main sports practiced. The sports discussed in this essay are rugby, cricket, rowing, cycling and swimming. In addition, the paper provides the analysis of the reasons behind the popularity of these kinds of sports.
Main Sports
Rugby: this is one of the most popular sports in Australia, and it has been practiced since the 1850s. Rugby in Australia is divided into three different kinds with each division ascribing to different rules. Rugby is a kind of a religion for Australians. The Australian rugby players have not let their countrymen and fans down and have continuously rewarded them with beautiful games and offer tough competition to other worldwide contenders in the sport.
Cricket: cricket is a big sport in Australia as well. It is probably the most popular sport in Australia as it is played by people of all the ages and gender. Cricket has deep historical roots, and has been played by the Australians for several the decades since it was first introduced by the British settlers.
The huge popularity of cricket is probably due to a number of reasons, which include its deep roots in Australia. It should be noted that the simplicity of the sport makes it a popular family sport as it is played by all family members irrespective of age and gender.
Rowing: Rowing is another kind of sport that gained a great popularity in the country. Technological advancement in the manufacture of the boats has led to the increased number of boats available, and the sport is generally practiced by both genders and people of all ages.
Australia has vast resources where rowing can be carried out including the Gold Coast canals among others. The fact that any age and gender can participate in the sport has probably made a significant contribution to its popularity. Rowing is very popular in Australia and therefore, very close to the hearts of the Australians.
Cycling: this is yet another popular sport that is dear to the Australians. Cycling is mostly carried out in the city streets. A good portion of the Australians often engages in cycling. Cycling is carried out by both gender and people of all ages, including children. Australians like cycling in the morning, and it is a common way for people to ride bikes alone, or in groups.
The ability of people of different ages ,as well as both genders getting engaged in cycling is probably the main reason why this kind of sport has become so popular among Australians. In addition, one should not forget about benefits of cycling to health, good mood and general well being.
Swimming: this is another very popular sport in Australia. There exist numerous swimming clubs, which make this sport easily available to people living in different parts of the country. The government and local authorities are very supportive of this sport. For instance, many cities, in their city halls, maintain public swimming pools. For the colder cities, the pools are heated. This clearly encourages swimming and has made it very popular.
Conclusion
In this paper, we have outlines some of the most popular sports in Australia. It has been observed that each of the sports presented above is supported by the government. For instance, there are many play grounds, clubs and public swimming pools, which provide opportunities to practice these sports and encourage people to practice them.
A great popularity of some sports is due to their deep historical roots in Australia, for instance, rugby, while some, e.g. cycling, is because they can be practiced by all the family members and both genders. Finally, sport is very good for one’s health and this ideas is widely popularized by the governments and local communities.