Stay urban active with Teqball

With lightning-quick reactions?and no small amount of dexterity, Zhang Junming whips his leg high?above his shoulder in a pose reminiscent?of Bruce Lee executing a?roundhouse kick. He connects his foot solidly with?the oncoming football and volleys?it powerfully downward. With a loud "thwump" it ricochets off the?oddly-curved ping-pong table and?whizzes past the ear of his opponent, who, unable to respond?quickly enough, is left rootd to?the spot. The point unequivocally?goes to Chen. Without breaking a?sweat, he limbers up and prepares?to serve once more.

This unique sport is called Teqball.?The Hungarian-born fusion of?football and table tennis has been?around for a decade. It's played on a?curved tabletop that measures 3?meters in length and 1.7 meters in?width, with the highest point reaching?0.76 meters high, and it's bisected?by a solid net.

Typically, the game is contested in?three-set matches, with doubles?competitions being more popular?than singles.?Participants use a slightly underinflated?football and, similar to football,?are allowed to strike the ball?with any part of their body except their hands.

On Aug 19, the 2023 Beijing Teqball?Challenge, held by the Beijing?Olympic City Development Association?(BODA) and the International?Teqball Federation, wrapped up at?the scenic Juyongguan Great Wall?area in Beijing.