Nagoya, Japan, September 18, 2026: Already a talented athlete in a few different sports, Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza always dreamt of representing her country India on the international stage, but there was a small problem.
She just didn’t know exactly which one to focus on - until she discovered Teqball - a sport that catered for all her different skills.
Played on a curved table and combining football with table tennis, Teqball was only created a little over a decade ago but is fast becoming a hugely popular sport because it’s quick, athletic, fun to play and great to watch.
“You have nine different body parts that you use, so it's both feet, the thighs, both shoulders, chest, head and back but you cannot use the same body part consecutively,” Dsouza explained.
“So, if I use my foot, I cannot use my foot again. So you really need to be good at juggling your ball control, ball speed. What's really important is the smashes. So you need your right leg smash, your left leg smash, your head attacks. And sometimes it's also about the mind.”
Teqball is being played for the first time at the Asian Games and is proving an instant hit, with Dsouza not only fulfilling her dream of representing India in the women’s singles after winning her national title seven times but also excelling.
“I am an athlete and a footballer, but I only played football for two years. I got a ligament injury and could not continue playing football. That is how I picked up teqball,” she said.
“Back in 2022, when I was injured, I wanted to play professionally. It had been my dream to play for India since I was a kid, and it could be any sport. I watched Ronaldinho throughout Instagram reels and when I saw him play, I loved it," she added, referring to the Brazilian superstar.
Seizing her opportunity, 24-year-old Dsouza has been one of the breakout performers in the women’s singles at the Nagoya City Higashi Sports Centre, saving a match point to beat Japan’s highly-rated Yuina Sakamoto 10-12 12-11 13-11 in a first round thriller.
Then she defeated Cambodia’s Koemyean Dy 12-5 12-6 to finish top of Group A and advance straight through to the semi-finals.
“I am super happy to top the group. It means a lot to me, to the country and to everyone supporting us back in India,” Dsouza said.
“It is the first time I have topped the group stage. It was all about believing in myself.”
Dsouza says she is hoping that, if she wins a medal, she can help promote the sport in her cricket-loving homeland and inspire other young girls to follow in her footsteps.
“Through our performance here, more people in India will know the sport, because today it is only cricket that is popular. If you bring a medal back to India, more kids can start playing.”
