By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – Eswatini’s flag had already been hoisted high event before the kick-off of the World Teqball Championships after Eswatini Teqball Federation President and player Mfanafuthi ‘Taribo’ Bhembe was honoured with the Teqball Award of Merit.
This happened before the kick-off of the championships where Taribo will represent the country alongside Nolwazi Ngwenyama and Naomi Du Pont. The locals are among the 220 players and 95 countries that will take center stage from December 4 to 7 at the Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, Lam Son Park, and Bach Dang Wharf Park in District 1.
According to the fiteq.org, Bhembe who is the President of the Eswatini Teqball Federation since 2019 is championing the sport’s growth across Africa with passion and vision.
“Bhembe is the driving force behind the sport’s growth in Africa. With a passion for sports and a vision for development, Bhembe has worked tirelessly to establish Teqball as a prominent sport in Eswatini while extending its reach to other African nations,” reads a statement.
Meanwhile, Vietnam, as the hosts, will have the highest number participating, nine, followed by Germany and Malaysia with seven. Players will vie for titles in five categories – men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles – the organisers announced at a press conference on December 3.
The International Teqball Federation (FITEQ) currently has 122 national federations including Eswatini, more than 2,000 clubs around the world, and more than 1 800 trained referees. FITEQ organised three World Cups in 2017, 2018, and 2019 and Eswatini was part of the 2019 World Cup.
The sport is also recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the Oceania Olympic Council (ONOC), and the Olympic Council of Africa (ANOCA) and is expected to be included in the Olympics in 2028.
It continues to grow in the country as it has been all along part of the Shukuma Eswatini programme and now playing tables are also most in all the four regions of the country in different communities and venues.
Teqball is a ball sport that is played on a curved table, almost like table tennis. Back and forth, the players hit a football with any part of the body except the arms and hands. Teqball can be played between two players as a singles game or between four players as a doubles game.
