The final match of the ongoing fifth edition of India’s only women polo tournament will be played in Manipur capital Imphal on Tuesday.
The final match of the polo tournament will be held at historic Mapal Kangjeibung, the oldest living polo ground in the world located in the heart of Imphal.
With the completion of the semi-final matches on Sunday, the organizing authority is preparing for the final match on January 21 which is the statehood day of Manipur.
There will be no match on Monday, sources said.
As in the previous year, the organizing authority is expecting presence of state Governor Dr Najma Heptulla during the closing and final match of the women polo tourney.
In the first semi-final match of the women polo tourney named fifth Manipur Statehood Day Women’s Polo Tournament which was played at Mapal Kangjeibung on Sunday afternoon, the Great Britain women polo team defeated last year’s runner title holder Argentina women polo team by 6-4 goals.
In another semi-final match at the same venue in Imphal, defending champion United States of America (USA) women polo team thrashed host Manipur women polo team by 7-1 goals.
The women polo tourney began from January 17 onwards with the active participation of four women polo teams from four foreign countries – USA, Great Britain, Argentina and Egypt along with host women team from Manipur besides Indian Polo Association women team.
The tourney was organized by by All Manipur Polo Association and produced by Polo Yatra, the Indian women’s polo initiative of Huntre!Equine under the sponsorship of theTourism ministry.
During their stay here, the foreign women polo teams will also visit the important tourism destinations in Manipur.
Officials of the state Tourism department claimed that the women polo tourney has grown in scale and participation since its inception in 2016 and now draws tourists from all over the world to Manipur as a polo tourism destination of India.
The tournament is part of Manipur Tourism’s campaign to save the unique and endangered Manipuri pony and also to promote Polo tourism in the Manipur- the birthplace of modern polo.