Egypt's first female polo team rides to victory
Farah Awadalla, the daughter of one of Egypt's best-known polo players, has started her own all-female team in Cairo.
The polo mallet finally passed to women in Egypt when Farah Awadalla, 23, formed a 10-member team called “Nefertiti.” The young team named after the daring queen won its first match March 29.
“I formed the team because there wasn't a single women’s polo team in Egypt,” she told Al-Monitor. “I felt that women needed representation in more sports, now that we are advancing in so many fields. It's been 100 years since women held their first mass demonstration for their country's independence and it seemed like the right move.”
Farah is the daughter of Ibrahim Awadalla, one of the country’s most renowned polo players. She grew up riding horses and has been playing polo for the last two years.
“My dad is definitely my role model,” she said, also listing Argentina’s Mia Cambiaso among her heroes. “Her dad is also a polo player [Adolfo Cambiaso] and she grew up in the polo world just like me,” she added with a laugh.
