Lebanon's Kamar Dandal controls the ball during the women's singles bronze-medal teqball match against Cambodia's Koemyean Dy at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Lee Jin-man/AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Myanmar's Khin Hnin Wai plays a return against Indonesia's Sumaya during their women's singles teqball final match at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) (Lee Jin-man/AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Myanmar's Khin Hnin Wai celebrates after defeating Indonesia's Sumaya to win the gold medal during their women's singles teqball final match at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) (Lee Jin-man/AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
India's Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza controls the ball during the women's singles bronze-medal teqball match against Japan's Yuina Sakamoto at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Lee Jin-man/AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Indonesia's Sumaya plays a return against Myanmar's Khin Hnin Wai during their women's singles teqball final match at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) (Lee Jin-man/AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — You had to move quickly to see teqball, one of the new sports on view at the Asian Games.
Competition wrapped up Sunday in the sport — the official opening day of the games. Several other new sports in the Asian Games also got early start days before the games officially opened on Saturday. This helped accommodate a crowded schedule.
More than 11,-000 athletes from 45 countries and regions will compete in 43 sports before the games close on Oct. 4.
Teqball combines football skills with a soccer-like ball that bounces on a curved table resembling a table tennis table. Teqball was created in 2014 in Hungary.
Teqball resembles, very roughly, the game of sepaktakraw, which is popular in Southeast Asia. In that game, players kick a ball over a net and show off their skills as acrobats.
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