Tejo is a traditional Colombian sport that is believed to have been originated over few centuries ago. The sport is played in only Colombia at a recreational and competitive level.
The main equipment required for the sport is a wooden box (called a post), tejos (metal discs), and a target. The post is 90cm wide and 1m long, cut at 35 to 45 degree angle and filled with clay. A protective board much larger than the post is usually placed behind the post to protect off-target tejos from leaving the field.
The tejos used are metal discs. A circular metal ring is used as a target and is tightly screwed to the middle of the post. The targets have multiple small triangular shaped pouches filled with gunpowder, called 'mecha', fixed to it, which explodes when hit.
The objective of the sport is to throw the tejos at the target from a distance of 20m. Points are awarded to throws based on where it lands on the post. The four scoring plays are, Hand (1 point) - For the tejo that is closest to the target, Hit (3 points) - When the mecha explodes, Bullseye (6 points) - For the tejo that lands inside the target, and Strike (9 points) - a hit and bullseye on the same throw.
Similar Sports
- Argentinian Tejo — a sport from Argentina in which two teams throw metal discs to land as close as possible to a neutral disc.
- Washer Pitching — a target throwing game similar to horseshoes, in which players take turns to toss washers into a box or hole.
- Horseshoes — players toss horseshoes alternately at stakes in the ground.
- Pétanque — a type of boules in which the objective is to throw hollow metal balls towards a small wooden target ball.
- Quoits — a traditional target throwing game in which rings are thrown at a target spike, the aim is to get them as close as possible to the target.
- Digor — a sport from Bhutan in which a pair of spherical flat stones are hurled at two targets fixed in the ground 20m apart.
- Calva — a traditional Spanish sport in which you throw a piece of metal to knock down bull's horn-shaped piece of wood.
Related Pages
- List of Boules-type sports
- About Sport in Colombia
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports