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00:00 Benin's national pitonk team player, Terazini Macelbiou, stood inside the country's new
00:07 pitonk arena for the World Championship.
00:11 He narrowly missed gold in the 2016 World Pitonk Championships in Madagascar and was
00:17 desperate to bring the trophy home to his country in last week's tournament.
00:23 He and his partner ultimately won silver when the tournament concluded over the weekend,
00:30 beaten by frequent champion France in the men's doubles category.
00:35 Originating from French beach clubs in the early 20th century, pitonk involves tossing
00:41 steel balls as close as possible to a smaller wooden ball called a couchonnet, while standing
00:48 inside a circle with both feet on the ground.
00:52 Macelbiou and organizers hailed the event as a cultural victory for Benin.
00:57 "First, people didn't believe that Benin could organize this World Championship, but we did
01:02 it and it was well received.
01:04 Even the president of the International Pitonk Federation said so."
01:10 From leisurely street games to fierce club tournaments, Benin is carving out its place
01:15 in the sport.
01:16 This year's championship event saw teams from 37 nations compete for the top prize.
01:23 The event drew international crowds and media.
01:26 Guy Tronod is the technical director for Benin's Pitonk Federation.
01:30 "I think pitonk is the only sport that can favor all social strata and put everyone at
01:37 ease, that there are no social barriers, because in every neighborhood, in every street, you'll
01:42 see people playing pitonk.
01:44 Young people play pitonk, grandpas, 80-year-olds play pitonk."
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