3rd Statehood Day Polo Tourney kickstarts : Manipur teams face losses on opening day
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 17 2018: It was a bleak start for the two Manipur Polo teams as they went down fighting to Kenya and Australia in Group A and Group B on the opening day of the 3rd Statehood Day Women Polo Tournament which got underway today at Mapal Kangjeibung.

The tournament is being organised by All Manipur Polo Association and sponsored by Department of Tourism.

Altogether six teams, including three foreign teams, are participating in the tournament where the teams are clubbed into two groups.

With Chief Minister N Biren failing to turn up for the opening day as the chief guest, the tournament kicked off with MLA Dr Sapam Ranjan who is also the Chairman of Tourism Corporation of Manipur, Dr K Saratchandra Singh, president of All Manipur Polo Association and Bellinda Omino, Deputy High Commissioner of Kenya to India as the chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

The tournament too started late by half an hour.

On the opening day, Kenya defeated Manipur Thangjing by a margin of 5-2 goals in a Group A match while in a Group B match, Australia downed Manipur Marjing 6-2 .

Though Kenya played as the better team in the Group A match, the presence of two players with the same jersey number-4 left an unpleasant taste in the mouth of the spectators.

Kenya shot into the lead through gaols from Tiva Gross in the first chukker while in the second chukker Imogen Voorspuy found the mark.

Trivo Gross was at it again when she was on target in the third chukker followed by Rowena Sitchbury in the same chukker.

In the final chukker Nikki Barlow sounded the board to hand Kenya five goals.

On the other hand, Manipur Thangjing found the target through Khundongbam Ibe in the first chukker while Thoudam Tanna also found the target to give the team two goals.

M Kelendro officiated the match as the match referee while Olivia Stringer from the USA and Chloe Warren from Australia backed up as the Mounter Umpires.

O Chinglensana was the time keeper while M Homen marked the scorers.

In the second match of the day, Australia excelled in every department of the game and scored through Billie Mascart, Indiana Bennetto, Whitney Warren.

For Manipur Marjing, N Ashakiran and Soibam Langlen found the target to reduce the margin.

Tomorrow, IFJA and Manipur Thangjing will meet in a Group A match at 1.30 pm while in Group B, USA will meet Manipur Marjing at pm.

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