The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Featured image via al-monitor.com

The field of sports, in general, is one that has come to have a significant impact on the world, and surely, Egypt is no exception. From hosting AFCON 2019 to El Gouna being the chosen venue for annual world-class squash tournaments, Egypt being home to swimmers like Farida Osman, and so much more, it is safe to say that Egypt has become a regional leader in this field.  Today, we turn our attention to another sport that is becoming extremely popular in Egypt: polo.

Farah Awadalla is a 23-year-old professional polo player, who has formed an Egyptian female polo team that consists of 10 members. The team is called Nefertiti, paying homage to the Egyptian Queen and celebrating Egyptian females’ power and their role in history. On March 29th, Nefertiti played their first polo match, and they won against the women from the Police Union Club in Cairo.

Awadalla said the following regarding the team’s foundation: “I formed the team because there wasn’t a single women’s polo team in Egypt and I felt that women deserve representation in more sports, now that we are advancing in so many fields. It has been 100 years since women held the first demonstration for their country’s independence, and it seemed like the right thing to do at the moment.”

Growing up riding horses, Awadalla has been involved in the game for a very long time, and she is one of the key players of the 10-member team. They use Argentinian polo ponies because they are the best ponies in the world. Awadalla’s role model is her father, as she grew up in the polo world with her father by her side.

We can tell that Awadalla has put in a lot of effort into making this team come alive. They are looking to compete internationally rather than locally in 2020.