Teqball produced one gold and two silver medals for Nigeria yesterday in the grand finale of the event at the 2023 African Beach Games ongoing at Hammamet, Tunisia.
The Mixed Doubles category fetched Nigeria her only gold in the Teqball event through the duo of Funsho Funto Samson and Rasheedat Bukola Salau.
Both put up a spirited effort to defeat Madagascan duo of Fanirisoa Richia RANDRIANASOLO and Erickson Spencer Diarra RAKOTONIRINA 12 – 9, 12 – 10 to finish the best in the Mixed Doubles event.
The duo of Funsho Funto SAMSON and Rashidat Bukola SALAU are into the history books as the first Nigerians to win Gold in any Teqball International event.
Victor Oyemade and Funsho Funto Samson settled for a silver medal in the final of the Men’s Doubles after they were beaten by two sets to one by the Tunisian duo of Yassine Sahli and Youssef Sahli by 12-5, 6-12 and 11-13 in a tension soaked encounter.
Oyemade, who is Nigeria’s Number one and 2nd ranked player in Africa in Teqball could only settle for another silver medal in the Men’s Singles to crown a wonderful performance by the Teqball team to the games. He was beaten by Cameroonian’s Gregory Dylan Tchami Djomaha by 2 -1.
The highly contested 3 sets saw the Nigerian lost the first set 3-12 before clawing his way back to win the second set 12-6. He was beaten again in the third set 12-8 to clinch a silver medal for Nigeria in the Men’s Singles category.
In the Bronze Medal game decided earlier in the day, Yassine SAHLI of Tunisia defeated Ghanaian Sylvester Oko NORTEY 2 – 0 (12-6, 12-11) to win the Men’s Singles Bronze Medal.
Cape Verdeans duo Jarise EVORA and Teodoro SILVA failed to finish on the podium in a highly contested Mixed Doubles Bronze Medal encounter that ended 2-1 (6-12, 12-3, 8-12) in favour of Algerian Fethi LARIT and Malak BENYOUNES.
The Men’s Doubles Bronze Medal game was a one sided encounter as Ghanaian Sylvester Oko NORTEY and Daniel FOBI pounded Siphosethu SIKHONDZE and Senzo MNISI from Eswatini 2 – 0 (12-2, 12-4) to finish on the podium.
