PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: Rivers State’s Teqball team, Rivers Whales, has secured a place at the 2026 World Teqball Championship in Budapest, Hungary, after winning the men’s doubles title at the national qualifiers held in Aba, Abia State.
In a statement signed by the Secretary of the Rivers State Teqball Association (RIVTEQ), Viura Lezigha, the association said the team’s victory followed a series of impressive performances at the three-day competition, which ran from October 29 to 31 at the Aba Sports Club.
The Rivers men’s doubles pair of Ikoko Andrew and Musa Joshua defeated Khalid Yahyah and Tobi Mejedi of host state Abia in the final to claim the gold medal and secure qualification for the international competition scheduled for December 1 to 6.
Beyond the men’s doubles triumph, Rivers Whales added three bronze medals in the men’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles categories, finishing the competition with four medals.
Chairman of RIVTEQ, Mr. Halim Adebola Zaccah, commended the athletes, head coach Efe Mude Wealth and the technical crew for their performances, describing the outcome as an encouraging result for the state’s growing presence in the sport.
Zaccah dedicated the team’s achievement to the Rivers State Government and expressed satisfaction with the participation of Rivers Whales’ under-15 athletes, some of whom made their competitive debut at the championship.
He said the exposure gained by the young players was important for their development and expressed confidence that their emergence would strengthen the future of Teqball in Rivers State.
The association chairman also acknowledged the contributions of its Vice Chairman, Mr. Sunday Ehimen Agbonighale, and Patron, Ambassador Paul Ngwaba, whose financial support he said had helped sustain the team’s development and competitive participation over the years.
At the competition, Team Delta emerged as one of the strongest contenders, winning gold medals in the men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles events, while host Abia secured the women’s doubles title.
The qualifiers attracted 80 athletes, 14 coaches and 13 referees from 14 states representing the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Lagos and Akwa Ibom also made their first appearances at the competition.
With the national qualifying tournament concluded, Rivers Whales will now prepare for the Budapest championship, where Andrew and Joshua will compete against players from other countries in the men’s doubles category.
