Wallball, formerly known as One-Wall handball, is a form of the game whereby opponents play against a single wall, with no sidewalls, backwall or ceiling in play, as is the case in other handball codes.
The game has been wildly popular in parts of the US, particularly New York, since the Depression era and has experienced rapid growth in Europe – particularly Ireland, where there are some 200 handball clubs – in the past 15 years.
This year, it was decided to run a stand-alone World Wallball Championships at the University of Limerick on August 18th-23rd. Wallball had previously been included as an add-on to the traditional triennial Four-Wall World Championships).
Nazir “Nasty Naz” Marston, a 22-year-old model from Brooklyn, won the Men’s Open Singles title in impressive fashion, beating compatriot Timothy “Timbo” Gonzalez in the final.
The Ladies Open Singles was won by Limerick’s own Martina McMahon, an alumnus of UL who has recovered from spinal fusion surgery in recent years. The event was attended by GAA president Jarlath Burns and director general Tom Ryan as well as Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne and Minister of State Niall Collins.
In all, players from 13 countries participated, including France, the Basque Country, Japan, England, Wales, Canada and the United Arab Emirates as well as Ireland and the US, the last two making up the bulk of the competitors. More than 1,000 matches were played at the UL Sports Arena across the six days of the event, with grades ranging from an 11-and-under fun doubles competition to over-60s singles and doubles.
Top honours in the adult grades went to the USA and Ireland.
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