Myanmar welcomed back its historic first national Teqball team at Yangon International Airport on Tuesday, following a medal-winning campaign at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Japan.
The highlight of the contingent’s return was gold medalist Khin Hnin Wai—affectionately known as “Arnold”—who secured Asia’s inaugural Asian Games gold medal in Teqball.
Competing in the sport’s Asian Games debut, Khin Hnin Wai triumphed in the women’s singles category on Sept. 20, overcoming Indonesia’s Sumaya 2-1 (10-12, 12-8, 12-9) in a hard-fought final.
Her road to the gold included straight-set victories against opponents from Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, and Indonesia during preliminary rounds.
Overall, the four-person Myanmar Teqball team clinched three medals—one gold, one silver, and one bronze—spanning women’s singles, women’s doubles, and men’s singles events.
Chinlon roots fuel rapid success
Teqball—a sport originating in Hungary in 2014 that combines elements of football, table tennis, and volleyball on a curved table—has seen swift adoption across Southeast Asia:
- The Chinlon Advantage: Sports analysts and former national athletes attribute Myanmar’s rapid mastery of Teqball to its technical similarities with Chinlon—Myanmar’s traditional cane-ball sport that emphasizes acrobatic dexterity, precise foot-eye coordination, and non-arm ball control.
- Coaching & Infrastructure: Coached by Thai technician Anussara Supakarnkamjorn, the Myanmar Teqball Federation was established in 2025 to build grassroots pipelines for international podium finishes.
- Incentive Awards: Upon arrival in Yangon, sports officials and federation leaders presented the returning athletes and coaching staff with a collective performance award of 180 million MMK ($40,632 USD).
Myanmar ranked 6th overall in the Asian Games standings as of Sept. 20 after competing across Teqball and gymnastics, with national athletes slated to compete in five sports overall: Sepak Takraw, women’s football, Teqball, gymnastics, and Esports.
