Yoyo champ's tilt at the big time

From The Advertiser

EACH day, Australia's best yoyoer, western suburbs teenager Vu Ho, spends an hour mastering the ups and downs of his craft.

The Mt Carmel College student, 15, started practising yoyo tricks only 18 months ago and quickly progressed from traditional favourites such as walk the dog to complicated combinations he is yet to name.


ANYC2010 1A 1st Vu Ho from YoBoY on Vimeo.

"I was on the internet one day and came across a couple of videos of people doing some pretty cool stuff with the yoyo and thought I'd give it a go, that's where it all really started," he said yesterday.

"I usually get home, do my homework and then spend an hour or so with the yoyo.

"The tricks don't really have names, they're not really your around-the-world type of thing, they're complicated to explain, I just make up my own combinations."

Vu's three-minute freestyle routine using the old-fashioned toy recently took home first place at the Australian Yoyo Championships, in Adelaide. He now hopes to represent Australia in Orlando, Florida, in August.

"My friends thought I was a bit of a loser for what I was doing at first," he said. "But now they think it's pretty wicked."

It is also not a sport without dangers.

During a recent wayward trick, Vu's yoyo flung back and whacked him in the mouth, splitting his lip.

Kylie Ryan, who works at Toyworld in the Myer Centre, Rundle Mall, said yoyos were not hugely popular but there was some demand for the toy.

"I'd say they're a steady seller and there's some very modern-looking versions. They're metallic and all sorts of colours," she said.

Vu was awarded $1500 worth of prizes for his win at the national championships and is saving to make the trip to Orlando.