“When our voices join, we become impossible to ignore”: Princess Azemah Bolkiah’s message for women in polo

What she lacked in experience when she started, she made up for with sheer discipline and commitment to her training. This was at a time when polo was largely a man’s game, especially in Brunei where female players were a rarity. Thankfully, she had the benefit of an exceptional coach in Marianela Castagnola—one of Argentina’s top female polo players and the only female rider to win the prestigious Copa de Republica in Argentina, in 1997. Through rigorous training and hard work, Princess Azemah eventually earned a place in the Brunei National Polo Team.

“After completing university, I proceeded to play a lot more competitively in [various] tournaments around the region and globally (in Thailand, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Dubai and Spain). The experience and training I gained from playing in these tournaments was a very important step in my journey, which led me to represent Brunei in the SEA Games in Malaysia and the Philippines,” she says.

Don't miss: Meet the Malaysian swimmer who has his sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics

Her first time representing Brunei on a prestigious level came at the 45’ Torneo Internacional de Polo Sotogrande in Spain in 2016, where Princess Azemah and her team won the Silver Cup, solidifying Brunei’s world-class reputation in international polo. “I think it is important for people to see more women in leadership roles within sports, such as head coach or mentor. Having women in these leadership roles will give confidence to and encourage more women and girls to participate in sports,” says Princess Azemah, who herself made history as one of only two female players in Brunei’s first-ever polo team to compete at the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in 2017, where they clinched a bronze medal in a tightly contested match, defeating Singapore 10-8.

Two years later, the Brunei polo team won a gold medal in the 0-2 handicap level at the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines, defeating Malaysia 7-4. At the inaugural Agong’s Cup in October 2023 at the Putrajaya Equestrian Park, Princess Azemah led the Brunei polo team to victory once again as team captain, delivering another incredible performance and defeating the Jogo Polo team 7-5.

Given the enormous impact that polo has had on her life, Princess Azemah is determined to see more women and girls in her home country participate in the sport and experience its manifold benefits. Citing globally established tournaments such as the Women Championship Tournament and the Argentine Open Women’s Polo Championship, the Brunei royal is convinced that women’s polo is becoming increasingly accessible, opening up a host of opportunities for female athletes.

“Sport has an incredible influence and impact on communities and individuals. You learn to be disciplined and focused. You learn how to win and lose gracefully, and you develop leadership skills, which have benefited me in many other areas of my life. Sports was a gamechanger for me, and I believe that women and girls should have as much opportunity to flourish through sport in as many ways as possible,” she says.

“Polo is one of the few sports in the world where you can have both women and men playing on the same team. I don’t think I have ever looked at it in terms of [gender]; it’s more about your handicap,” adds Princess Azemah. “What’s important is how you gel with your team. Polo is a team sport, and one of its best aspects is the collective effort of the whole team. It’s a huge organisation, from the players, the grooms, the coaches, the staff, the physio, the vet and especially the horses. It all depends on the successes we build off each other as a team rather than the success of one individual.”

Don't miss: How Malaysian chartered accountant Chow Mei Mei became the board chair of a leading energy services group

In 2021, Princess Azemah was appointed to represent Brunei among 10 ASEAN Women in Sports ambassadors as part of the Japan-funded ASEAN #WeScore campaign, aiming to celebrate and promote women’s and girls’ participation in sports in Southeast Asia. She says that speaking at the ASEAN #WeScore Talk Show was an eye-opening experience that provided solidarity with other female athletes and a valuable platform for raising awareness about gender equality in sports.

“We recognised that having such a platform to raise our voices and share our experiences is a privilege,” she says. “We were able to shed light on critical issues, amplify our voices, learn from each other, and get attention and support where it was needed. I think it’s important that we women empower ourselves, learn from one another, and maintain confidence in ourselves. When all our voices join, we become impossible to ignore.”

Princess Azemah has become a role model to young polo hopefuls who can learn from her fearless determination to make her mark in a male-dominated game. “One of the most rewarding things after a game is that several young girls will come up to me and say they want to start playing polo too. I am honoured that I inspire them to take up the sport. I hope they do,” the princess says.

“People find positive and empowering role models in athletes, so I think it is imperative that athletes use their voices to raise awareness. From Billie Jean King to Nawal El Moutawakel and the late Sunny Hale, women have been pushing the boundaries of sport and changing perceptions for a long time. There should be no disparity in sports. I wish to see opportunities to be there for all, irrespective of gender, age, abilities, race, and ethnicity; where nothing else matters but who you are and what you can do—whether as an athlete, a coach, an exerciser—matters.”

NOW READ

Meet Dr Woo Yin Ling, the woman with a mission to eradicate cervical cancer in our lifetime

Malaysian producer and screenwriter Adele Lim on the future of Asian representation in Hollywood

Rahmah Pauzi acknowledges hope through her work