TOP-caliber polo players again see action in the country with the staging of the Philippine-Dubai friendly polo showdown dubbed as “Battle of Titans” on Sunday in Makati.
Focus will be on a pair of 7-goalers in Mariano Obregon and Mathias Zabaleta. Obregon is coming off a stellar performance in the US Open while Zabaleta was likewise impressive in the recent United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cup.
Mikee Romero and Obregon will banner the Philippines along with Miguel Diaz and Anthony Garcia while Sam Instone and Zabaleta are the top players of Dubai. Other members of the Dubai team are 5-goaler Nicolas Curto and 4-goaler Nicolas Pieroni.
“The presence of top caliber players will make the Philippines-Dubai showdown doubly exciting,” said Romero, who is pushing for the professionalism of the sport in the country. “It’s high time that we form a national association so that we can have a national identity.”
Romero, owner of Globalport in the PBA, has partnered with Belo Medical CEO and founder Dr. Vicki Belo for the staging of the event, making the medical group the chief sponsor of the Philippine-Dubai polo friendly match.
The partnership was officially sealed Wednesday with polo players Rodrigo Bauzada, Andrian Garcia, Anthony Garcia and Tonio Veloso, and Belo’s daughter Cristalle Henares in attendance.
“We are glad with the support of Dr. Belo because the tournament is the first-ever 17-goal tournament to be held in the country,” said Romero, who just three weeks ago bankrolled the staging the Philippine Open Polo Championship won by Los Tamaraos.
Belo was equally excited in her first foray in the sporting world, and said the Philippines-Dubai friendly match is part of the many activities to highlight Belo Medical Group’s 25th anniversary.
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