Players in action during the intense fast-paced Showdown game. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
EIGHT teams of visually impaired Malaysians faced off in a fast-paced table game called Showdown.
The tournament was organised by Malaysian Blind Sports Association.
The game is played usually by the blind or visually impaired, who rely on sound rather than sight to guide their movements.
Players use paddles to hit a ball embedded with BB pellets that create noise, helping participants track its position.
Participants praised the competition for its sense of camaraderie and challenge.
“This sport is made by the blind for the blind,” said Fadzillah Sahmad, 50, who had been involved with the showdown game since the association introduced it in 2022.
Fadzillah said his two sons, who are not visually impaired, were also involved.
“My eldest son trained to be a referee for this sport and my youngest is my manager.
“I also coach some of the players here,” he said.
Nur Shamiza Alyaa Abdullah, 40, said the game could be tricky to master.
“I fell in love with the sport as soon as I started in 2022.
“Learning it, however, has been challenging.
“Even after two years, I haven’t fully mastered it because there are different types of rules,” she said.
The association’s secretary general Krishnan Nambiar emphasised the inclusive nature of the sport.
“Team games can go from three to five members, and they are always mixed.
“It cannot be all men or all women in a team.
“For the three-member teams, it’s either two men and one woman or vice-versa.
“The same applies for five-member teams, with three men and two women, or three women and two men,” he said.
The showdown equipment includes a specially designed table, two paddles, a sound-making ball, opaque goggles to ensure fairness and a glove to protect the batting hand.
Some of the key challenges faced by teams are the cost and sourcing of the equipment, particularly the special balls used in the game.
These are only available in Denmark and importing this is necessary because of the need for them to produce a specific sound.
“These balls are very expensive and we can’t make them locally because of the sound quality required.
“The players rely entirely on listening to the sound during play,” said Krishnan.
In individual matches, players aim to score up to 11 points, while in team events, the target is 31 points.
“The game requires agility, focus and teamwork,” added Krishnan.
A team called GTC, with members Syed Afif Hafizin Sayed Omran, Hanis Iskander Muhammad Naaim and Mokana Yashini Karishna Naidu, secured first place during the tournament.
GTC won RM500 and a replica of the Challenge Trophy.
The second-place winners earned RM300, while those placing third received RM200, alongside their respective trophies.
