Nagoya, Japan, September 18, 2026: Maria Chedid and Kamar Dandal are living proof that long-distance sporting partnerships really can work.
Representing Lebanon in women’s doubles Teqball at the Asian Games, Chedid and Dandal are through to the semifinals despite meeting up in person for the first time this year here in Nagoya.
That’s because Chedid, 24, now lives and works in France while Dandal is studying a masters degree in electrical engineering in her homeland of Lebanon.
So the pair have to train separately, more than 3,000 kilometres apart, while plotting their match tactics on the phone.
“I moved to Paris three years ago, so we do not live in the same country any more,” Chedid said.
“When I go to Lebanon to visit my family I try to train with her, but the last time I saw her was in December in Romania. We try as much as we can.”
So far, their unusual training arrangement is working a treat.
It helps that they prefer to kick with the opposite foot with Dandal left-footed and Chedid right-footed.
Last year, they won bronze at the world championships in Romania and they have made a flying start to the Asian Games in Japan, where Teqball has been included for the first time.
They are already guaranteed a medal after reaching the semi-finals of the doubles while Dandal, 23, is also through to the semis in singles after a mighty workload on Friday where she played seven matches in total at Nagoya City Higashi Sports Centre.
“We always have this chemistry, and that is why we are getting good results now, because we understand each other,” Chedid said.
“It is really silly how we started playing. Our football coach told us there was a new sport, like ping pong football, and said ‘come and try it, you will love it’ and I said ‘why not?’. We went to play, we really loved the game and we got attached to it.”
Living in different continents, no one could ever question their commitment to Teqball.
Chedid said there are only about half a dozen women playing Teqball in Lebanon so she’s hoping any success they have at the Asian Games will open up new doors.
“Now the sport is being added to these big events, more Lebanese athletes are motivated to try it. That is really important for us. We want to build a Teqball community in Lebanon,” she said.
