Africa's "Polo Queen" Neku Atawodi Is First Equestrian Player Ever Featured On Trace Sports Stars Channel

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Nov 13, 2013, 06:24 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nigerian polo champion Neku Atawodi is getting the international spotlight with a feature TV piece on Trace Sports Stars. The TV channel, broadcast in 104 countries throughout Africa, Europe, India, Mexico and more, tells the exciting stories of sports stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Venus Williams, David Beckham and now Neku.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131113/NY16811)

Africa's Polo Queen Neku Atawodi spends time with her horse before a big game. Neku will be featured on the international TV channel TRACE SPORTS STARS in February 2014. The series follows Neku's competition experiences around the world, marking the first time Trace has featured a polo player. "I expect viewers will see Polo as the beautiful, fun, and competitive sport that it is, and encourage more people to watch and maybe even play," says Neku, who earned a degree in Equine Sports Science from Regent's College London. (PRNewsFoto/Neku Atawodi) (PRNewsFoto/NEKU ATAWODI)

The series follows Neku's competition experiences around the world, marking the first time Trace has featured a polo player. "I hope viewers will see polo as the beautiful, fun, and competitive sport that it is, and encourage more people to watch and maybe even play," says Neku, who holds an Equine Sports Science degree. "Lots of associations around the world are welcoming people interested in our sport, because we love it so much that we want the world to feel our passionate love of the sport and the animals."

Short teasers of Neku playing in Ibiza, Hawaii, Uruguay and Ghana are being released monthly in a build-up to the show's premiere in February 2014, a 26-minute feature on Neku's activities around the world. Watch the first short piece of Neku playing in Ibiza here: http://www.trace.tv/en/media/news/sport/polo-with-neku-in-ibiza_18419

Neku is also founder of Ride to Shine, a program that empowers African orphans through Equestrian sports, and was the subject of a BBC broadcast earlier this year (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21188359).

World luminaries have high praise for Neku. Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Nigerian minister of sports says: "We are very proud of Uneku's commitment to make Equestrian Sports a mass participation sport under her Ride to Shine initiative. Her plan to work with children and youth on this program is particularly exciting as it falls within the national objective of bringing two million additional children into sports over the next two years." Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, chairman of London's Ham Polo Club and former Chairman of Hurlingham Polo Association, says of Neku: "She has proven Winston Churchill's famous quote that 'Polo is a passport to the world' and I am delighted that Uneku is now using her deep love of the sport to promote her worthy Ride to Shine initiative."

For media inquiries, please contact: Matt Rich ([email protected], 212-404-4444) – Americas
Stella Fuja ([email protected]) – U.K. General – [email protected]

ABOUT NEKU ATAWODI
Born Uneku but better known by her nickname Neku, Ms. Atawodi holds a B.S. in Equine Sports Performance with Honors and a Masters in International Business Management. She was born in Nigeria and has become international on the polo circuit. At the age of 26, she has already been featured in Forbes Africa and has played in tournaments across the world. Pictures of Neku are available here: http://tinyurl.com/llx3tvr

ABOUT TRACE SPORTS STARS
Trace Sports Stars is the first entertainment channel dedicated to the lives of sport celebrities when they're off the field and on. Trace gets unique behind-the-scenes access on sporting icons and tells their compelling stories. It airs in 104 countries (DSTv channel 188, Sky channel 442).

SOURCE Neku Atawodi