Two debutant teams, Crown Polo and Mangal Cement, displayed exceptional skill on Sunday at the ongoing 2024 Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament, which heads into its grand finale this week at the Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Resort in Kaduna.
In the first stage of this prestigious tournament, Crown Polo from Jos and Mangal Cement emerged as champions, securing the Access Bank Cup and the UNICEF Cup respectively.
Both victories marked their first major triumphs in the event, following closely contested finals. Katsina Mangal Cement clinched a narrow 6-5 win against the favoured Kano MSR Bua team, just as defending champions Access Bank, suffered a loss, falling 10-10½ to Crown Polo in an exciting final that concluded the first week of the tournament.
The prize presentation ceremony on Sunday was led by Adamu Atta, founder of Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Resort, who was joined by Gift Onyinye Akunebuni, Relations Manager at Access Bank Kaduna, and Gerida Birukila, UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Kaduna, among other dignitaries.
The second stage and grand finale of the 2024 Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament continues this week with 10 teams featuring professional players from Europe, Argentina, and Nigeria. They will compete for the Usman Dantata Cup and the event’s top prize, the Charity Shield.
