Twins defy convention to showcase Australia at world jump rope championships

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Key Points

The 2025 World Jump Rope Championships will take place in Kawasaki, Japan, in July.
Brisbane twins Grace and Sophia Thao will join more than 4,000 participants at the event.
Jump rope organisations are actively working to get the sport included in the Olympic program.

Listen to this story in Hmong at

Grace and Sophia Thao, 12, are preparing to take on the world’s best skippers.

In late July, the Brisbane twins will jet off to join the junior category of the 2025 World Jump Rope Championships in Kawasaki, Japan, joining more than 4,000 participants from more than 30 countries.

They say it is a “dream” to be part of the 141-strong Australian contingent, known as the Ropearoos, at the championship.

“Going to Japan to compete in the World Championship for the first time is something that makes us really happy, but it’s also something that makes us nervous,” Sophia said.

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Eight athletes from Crestmead Super Sonics will represent the Australian Ropearoos on the world stage. Credit: Crestmead Super Sonics/Cherie Duffy

Grace and Sophia, who are of Hmong background, got their start in the niche sport when they joined their local club, Crestmead Super Sonics, in 2023.

They count the speed relay and freestyle events among their favourites.

“Jump roping is fun; it helps us stay healthy and enjoy sport,” Sophia said.

“We’ve already competed at the state level and will soon compete internationally.”

What is jump rope?

Jump rope, long considered a popular schoolyard activity, is establishing itself as a competitive sport on the international stage.

Athletes at the world championships compete in categories such as freestyle, single and Double Dutch speed skipping, and team events.

A jump rope athlete performs in the freestyle event. Credit: Skipping Australia/Claire George

Claire George is Australia’s head of delegation for the world championships, representing Skipping Australia, the national jump rope body.

She explained that Australia is sending athletes to compete in the World Championships, Junior World Championships and International Open Tournament, to be held concurrently in Japan this year.

George said she is confident of strong performances, but pointed out that some states, such as South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, still don’t have participants in these competitions.

“One of the great things about jump rope competitions is that you can easily set up the equipment and the sport can be enjoyed by people of all fitness levels. People from young children to older adults can participate in these competitions,” she said.

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Australia’s national jump rope team are known as the Ropearoos. Credit: Skipping Australia

Cherie Duffy is the president and coach of Crestmead Super Sonics, the club where Grace and Sophia practice three days a week.

She said eight athletes from her fledgling club would join the Ropearoos team at the championships, their first international representatives since informally launching for Jump Rope for Heart five years ago.

According to Duffy, jump rope is more than a sport and teaches athletes other life lessons.

“We want our competitors to believe in themselves,” she said.

“The skills you learn are what you teach yourselves, and you’ll only get guidance from your coach, parents or other teammates.

“You are all very capable. Don’t lose hope. In the end, you will be able to compete.”

Olympic dreams

At the 2023 world championships in the US, Australia won 52 medals in total: 15 gold, 16 silver and 21 bronze.

Australia is considered one of the leading countries in international jump rope competitions, with the first World Skipping Championship held in Sydney back in 1977.

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Members of the Crestmead Super Sonics jump rope club. Credit: Crestmead Super Sonics/Cherie Duffy

George, however, is wary of the threat posed by other nations.

“Our closest competitors are probably from Hong Kong, Japan, Belgium, China and the US,” she said.

Looking ahead, she explained that the International Jump Rope Union is leading a push to have jump rope recognised as an official Olympic sport, with the 2032 Brisbane games in their sights.

“While some state governments have provided funding, it remains a challenge to secure national government funding to help grow these competitions and encourage more people to participate,” she said.

“There is still much preparation needed to ensure Australia performs well at future international competitions.”

Listen to the full interview with Cherie Duffy, president of the Crestmead Super Sonics, in English:

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Community encouragement

Both Grace and Sophia, born and raised in Brisbane, hope to encourage others in the Hmong community to join jump rope competitions.

According to their mum, Maisy Thao, the twins don’t often see other competitors from multicultural backgrounds, especially Hmong.

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Jump rope training. Credit: Crestmead Super Sonics/Cherie Duffy

Grace said: “I want to get more people (from the community) involved. Even if they don’t train at the same school as us, we can still teach them when we have the chance, or perhaps we can form our own club.”

With the world championships on the horizon, Maisy said she is supporting her daughters to balance their studies and sporting pursuits.

“Most of the tournaments are on weekends and they will only skip class for 10 days during the championships in Japan,” she said.

Whether her daughters bring home a medal or not, the proud mum believes her family’s sacrifices have been worth it.

“If your children are interested (in an activity) and have the ability, as parents, we should support and encourage them to reach their full potential. This will require time, money and effort to support and encourage them,” she said.