Krakow (from our correspondent) – Loud music, cheering, the traditional chant of Poland’s natives bialo-czerwoni. This is how the scenery looked like in the match for bronze in the mixed doubles, in which the Czechs Gabriela Zachová and Lukáš Flaks played against the home pair. “We haven’t experienced such an atmosphere at any tournament, it’s great,” admitted Zachová, who ended up fourth with her partner.
Most of the matches are played indoors by teqball players, in Poland they had to deal with the wind, the sun, loud music and even a drone overhead. “Once a helicopter was flying over us and it looked like the gentleman had a machine gun, I wondered what that was,” Flaks smiled.
Photo: Ivana Roháčková
Lukáš Flaks in the fight for bronze from the European Games.
Teqball comes from Hungary and is also referred to as table football. It is played on a table of roughly ping-pong dimensions, but which is bent, with the legs, chest or head. With two referees in shirts with bow ties and often breathtaking exchanges, which the spectators in Krakow were able to appreciate.
“We knew it would be played in the square, but I didn’t expect it to be so packed and in such a setting,” admitted 39-year-old Flaks, who had a colorful Czech flag in his hair. “I told myself that for the first time in my life I will start for the Czech Republic at such an important event, so I have to prepare for it somehow,” he smiled.
He played netball extra league for 15 years, now he is moving more towards teqball. “When I go to kick a netball now, how many times do I think it’s a bit slow and I’m almost bored with it, so I don’t want to drop the netball, it has its charm elsewhere,” he says.
Photo: Ivana Roháčková
Gabriela Zachová in the mixes at the European Games.
Zachová, who combines both sports, has a similar view. “I enjoy teqball more, it’s faster as the ball can’t hit the ground,” says the 23-year-old teqball player.
Young sports are also on the rise in the Czech Republic, the number of tables is increasing. “There are already 300 of them in the Czech Republic,” says Flaks. And international competition is also significantly wider than in netball, where top players are recruited almost exclusively from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.
“In netball, there are about 24 teams at the World Cup, eight of which are not opponents for us. About 80 countries will come to teqball, of which 20 are really unpleasant opponents for everyone. And the technical equipment of the players is constantly growing,” observed Flaks.
