LPC behind raising polo standard: Rodolfo
LAHORE - Argentinean Ambassador Rodolfo J. Martin-Saravia has said that the Lahore Polo Club (LPC) has played key role in raising standard of Pakistan polo. Talking to the reporters during his visit to the Lahore Polo Club where he witnessed the National Open Polo matches and praised the special efforts of the LPC and its presidents in improving level of Pakistan polo, the Argentinean ambassador said: “The club has great contributions in the uplift of the game in the country. The current and former LPC presidents, who have keen interest in the game, have not only made their grounds of international standard but also imported around 300 high-quality Argentinean horses to make their events competitive and enthralling and to larger extent, they have succeeded in doing so. With such challenging and thrilling matches I have witnessed today, I look forward a bright future of Pakistan polo.” The Argentinean ambassador helped Pakistan in improving the standard of polo here and also provided them every possible assistance in importing quality horses from Argentina and convinced Argentinean players to play in Pakistan. Due to his sincere efforts, top class Argentinean polo players are very much part of the high-goal events of Pakistan polo season. Rodolfo, who is leaving Pakistan after completing 12 years of his service in the country, thanked the Pakistani people and said: “I have bringing back a lot of memories with me especially of those attached with Lahore Polo Club as whenever I paid visit to the club, it remained remarkable for me.” I was always given great honour and respect by all the LPC presidents including Ishaq Khan Khakwani, Abdul Qadir Mamdot, Abdul Haye Mehta and current LPC chief Irfan Ali Hyder. I am really grateful to all of them for their love and respect they rendered to me and hope Pakistan polo will flourish further,” he added. –Staff Reporter

Last league matches to decide finalists
LAHORE - The last three league matches of the National Open Polo Championship 2016 for Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup will be played today (Friday) here at the Lahore Polo Club (LPC) ground. These crucial matches will also decide the finalists of the event. Diamond Paints will compete against Learning Alliance in the first match of the day at 1:30pm, Army Remounts will play against Master Paints/Habib Metro in the second match at 2:45 pm while Dollar East/Master Paints will vie against Sabiha Anees in the third match of the day. Diamond Paints and Dollar East/Master Paints are leading the points table by winning three matches, out of four match they have played so far while Army Remounts and Master Paints/Habib Metro have registered wins in two matches each out of four.–Staff Reporter

NBP, SSGC enter Jr Hockey final
LAHORE – National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) cruised into the final of ongoing 35th National Junior Hockey Championship being played here at the National Hockey Stadium. NBP routed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whites 4-0 in the first semifinal while SSGC thumped Army 2-0 in the second semifinal. Today (Friday) is the rest day while the final will be played tomorrow (Saturday). Two beautiful field goals by forward Amir Ali and one goal each by Azfar Yaqoob and M Dilber steered NBP into the final. Playing the semifinal of the national championship was itself a matter of great pride and satisfaction for the boys from the Frontiors who earned a place in the semis after beating some best teams in the quarterfinal and pool matches. SSGC routed Army in the second semi-final.–Staff Reporter

Hamza faces Huzaifa in ATF tennis final
ISLAMABAD – Huzaifa Abdul Rehman entered ATF Pakistan 14 & under Tennis Championship finals after outplaying M Said in the semifinals here at Senator Dilawar Abbas PTF Complex on Thursday. Second seed Hamza Bin Rehan also booked berth in the final after edging Amin Shafi in the second semifinal. Huzaifa started the first set on a high note winning it 6-3. He also played strongly in the second set to take it 6-1. In the second semifinal, Hamza struggled hard to overcome spirited Amin Shafi. Hamza was in cruise control in the first set winning it 6-1 but in the second set, he faced some resistance to win the set 6-4. The final will be played at 11am today (Friday). In girls’ singles semifinals, Zoha Asim thrashed Sara Noor Ahmad 6-0, 6-0, while Rida Khan outclassed Yasha Attique Khan 6-0, 6-0.–Staff Reporter