DUBAI: When Maria Chedid and Kamar Dandal stood on the podium in Nagoya on Sunday with bronze medals around their necks, it capped a remarkable Asian Games campaign for the Lebanese pair and underscored a partnership forged under extraordinary circumstances.
For much of the year, over 3,000 kilometers separate them. Chedid has resided in France for the past three years, completing a master’s degree and now working full-time, while Dandal remains based in Lebanon. They train independently, coordinating via WhatsApp, and typically have only a few days together before tournaments to re-establish their on-court chemistry.
That limited preparation proved sufficient in Japan. Chedid and Dandal advanced to the women’s doubles semifinals at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, securing bronze and adding a continental medal to the one they claimed at the 2025 Teqball World Championships in Romania.
“We have played together since 2022 and contested numerous tournaments and the World Cup, so we understand each other as players,” Chedid told Arab News.
Their connection originated in football. The pair competed together in Tripoli and later in Beirut before transitioning to teqball as the emerging sport gained traction in Lebanon. Since its introduction to the country in 2020, teqball has developed rapidly, with Lebanon rising as high as seventh in the world rankings in 2022 and consistently remaining within the top 25 since 2021.
Prior to Chedid’s relocation, the duo trained together regularly. The move necessitated a shift in preparation, with each athlete refining her game separately while maintaining close communication.
“We speak on WhatsApp. I might be working on defense or offense, so we keep each other updated,” Chedid explained. “We don’t have the funding to fly back and forth just to train in person.”
Returning to Lebanon is equally challenging. Between her professional commitments and tournament schedule, Chedid has not visited home in over a year, and any trip is a precious opportunity to reconnect with family and friends. Consequently, the few days preceding a competition carry heightened significance.
“Before competition, we arrive two days early and train during that window,” she said. “Other teams train regularly, but if we had that chance, we would achieve even better results.”
Despite these constraints, results have followed. Their bronze at the 2025 World Championships in Romania convinced the pair that another podium finish was attainable in Japan.
“As a women’s doubles team, we always aspire to reach the podium because we play well consistently,” Chedid said. “In Romania we won a medal, so we reasoned that if we could medal at the Worlds with more countries competing, we should be able to do so in Asia. We did it, and we are incredibly proud.”
Thailand’s Jutatip Kuntatong and Suphawadi Wongkhamchan captured the gold medal, defeating Myanmar’s Hsu Mon Aung and Phyu Phyu Than in the final, while Chedid and Dandal shared the bronze with Cambodia’s Sophornraksmey Yorn and Sreymeas Mey.
For Chedid, standing on the podium in Japan held particular resonance after three years abroad.
“Personally, because I live outside Lebanon, I want to bring something back for my country and make Lebanon proud,” she said.
Additional Lebanese success came in the men’s doubles, where the national pair secured silver, contributing to an impressive overall showing for the country in the sport.
“We play a sport that is not yet widely popular, but we want to change that,” Chedid added. “I’m also proud of the Lebanese men for winning their medal.”
These achievements are all the more satisfying given the financial realities facing Lebanese athletes compared to many international rivals.
“In Lebanon, we don’t have the same level of funding as other countries, but with the resources we do have, we have accomplished a great deal, and we are proud of that,” she said.
Chedid hopes their success in Japan will inspire more athletes, particularly those from the football and futsal backgrounds she shares with Dandal, to discover teqball.
“I encourage football and futsal players to take up this game because it is gaining significant traction,” she said.
There will be little time to savor the bronze. Chedid’s focus now shifts to Saudi Arabia for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh from December 11 to 21, where another opportunity to represent Lebanon awaits.