Malaysia confident of polo gold in Sea Games

KUANTAN: Malaysia is confident of delivering the polo gold medal at the Korat Sea Games in Thailand in December.

Malaysia won the gold when polo made its debut in 1983 but the sport was dropped from subsequent Sea Games.

"Being the defending champions, Malaysia is determined to win the polo gold in Thailand in December,” said team manager Ahmad Jamili in Kuantan.

"The only time polo was included as a Sea Games event was in 1983. After a lapse of 24 years, Malaysia is ready to makean impact again.”

”The team has a blend of young and experienced players who have been playing in the National Polo League. Most of them also competed in the recent Royal Pahang Polo Classic in Pekan.

”We are ready to deliver the gold. We are leaving nothing to chance. That is why we will be taking our own horses to the Games,” he added.

Besides Malaysia, hosts Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Phillipines will be competing, with the biggest challenge coming from the Phillipines.

The Malaysian Polo Association, said Ahmad, has shortlisted 10 players amongst who is the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, TengkuAbdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah who was a member of the gold-winning team in 1983

Ahmad said some of the players would be sent to Argentina on September 12 for greater exposure.

”They will be there for two months undergoing training and playing in some competitions. On their return, they will undergo centralised training in Pekan before the final squad of six is announced.”

The players are currently competing in the ongoing Malaysian Open Polo tournament at the Putra Jaya Equestrian Park.

The short-listed players: Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, Shaik Reismann, Rizal Ramli, Saladin Mazlan, Yudie Fazly,Tengku Shahril Tengku Sulaiman, Datuk Mahmud Moiz, Hayuddin Hamzah, Ali Mazlan, Zuhairi Kolfli.