Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah
Azemah in 2024
Born (1984-09-26) 26 September 1984
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Spouse
​
(m. 2023)​
Names
'Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah binti Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah
Regnal name
Pengiran Anak Puteri 'Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah binti Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah
HouseBolkiah
FatherSultan Hassanal Bolkiah
MotherHajah Mariam
ReligionSunni Islam
EducationUniversity of Warwick (LLB)
Sports career
CountryBrunei
SportPolo
Medal record
Polo
Representing  Brunei
SEA Games
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Kuala LumpurMen's tournament
Bronze medal – third place 2019 CalataganMen's tournament

Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah (Jawi: عظيمة نعمة البلقية, born 26 September 1984) is a princess of Brunei.[1] She is the eighth child of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei by his former second wife, Puan Hajah Mariam. She made a name for herself in 2017 when she was one of only two female polo players from Brunei in Kuala Lumpur at the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. As one of the ten ASEAN Women in Sports ambassadors in 2021, Princess Azemah was chosen to represent Brunei as part of the ASEAN #WeScore campaign, which is sponsored by Japan.[2][3]

Education

On Thursday, 17 July 2008, Princess Azemah received her bachelor's degree during a convocation ceremony held at Butterworth Hall in Coventry. Warwick University granted her a Bachelor of Laws with Honors. Princess Fadzilah was present for the convocation ceremony.[4]

Sports career

Known to be the Sultan's athletic daughter, she shares her father's passion for polo. She tells Tatler Malaysia that she participated in after-school athletic team competitions throughout her early school years, and that she started riding and show jumping at the age of four. She didn't start playing polo until she was a law student at the University of Warwick.[2]

Azemah made up for her lack of expertise at first by her unwavering dedication to her training and discipline. This occurred during a period when men dominated the polo field, particularly in Brunei where there weren't many female participants. Thus, Castagnola Marianela became her coach. In the end, she was selected for the Brunei National Polo Team. At the 45' Torneo Internacional de Polo Sotogrande in Spain in 2016, Princess Azemah made her debut representing Brunei on a distinguished platform. Her team's victory in the Silver Cup cemented Brunei's renown as a leading international polo player.[2]

Princess Azemah made her national polo team debut during the 2017 SEA Games. Her team concluded the tournament with bronze and alongside her team received cash incentive through the government’s Sports Excellence Incentive Scheme.[5][6] Together with her brother, Prince Mateen, she played in the 2019 SEA Games in Calatagan.[7] They finished Bronze in that tournament.[8] At both SEA Games, she became the first female competitor from Brunei to earn a medal.[9]

The Brunei polo team defeated Malaysia 7–4 to win the gold medal in the 0-2 handicap division at the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines. Princess Azemah, the team captain, guided the Brunei polo team to triumph once more at the first Agong's Cup in October 2023 at the Putrajaya Equestrian Park. Her team defeated the Jogo Polo team 7–5.[2]

Public service

Princess Azemah regularly attended charities[10] and national events such as the Silver Jubilee[11] and Golden Jubilee.[12] Moreover, the Princess also promote health related activities.[13] Her siblings included Prince Azim, Princess Fadzilah and Prince Mateen.[14] In 2009, she and Fadzilah played for the Ivy League during the Setia Motors Netball Open Championship at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex.[15] On 19 March 2018, she attended and presented the Brunei Ladies Open Champion Trophy to Hong Ran from South Korea.[16]

In an announcement made by ASEAN on 1 December 2021, Princess 'Azemah was among the ten sports ambassadors selected to promote gender equality prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[17]

Personal life

Her marriage with her first cousin, Bahar ibni Jefri Bolkiah took place on 8 January 2023.[18] Bahar is a son of the Sultan's younger brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah.[19]

Honours

Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ Brunei Darussalam Newsletter. Department of Information, Prime Minister's Office. 2000. p. 2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Jayatilaka, Tania. ""When our voices join, we become impossible to ignore": Princess Azemah Bolkiah's message for women in polo". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  3. ↑ "You are being redirected..." asean.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  4. ↑ "Sultanate - News | Negara Brunei Darussalam | HRH Princess 'Azemah graduates". www.sultanate.com. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  5. ↑ "Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council". www.bruneiolympic.org. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  6. ↑ Bakar, Rasidah Hj Abu (2020-02-17). "SEA Games medallists receive cash payouts". The Scoop. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  7. ↑ "Brunei beat Indonesia 8-1 in SEA Games polo » Borneo Bulletin Online". Brunei beat Indonesia 8-1 in SEA Games polo. 2019-12-06. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  8. ↑ "2019 contingent produce best away SEA Games record » Borneo Bulletin Online". 2019 contingent produce best away SEA Games record. 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  9. ↑ "Her Royal Highness Princess 'Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah". sites.ungeneva.org. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  10. ↑ "His Majesty's Personal Gifts Bring Cheers to Belait Residents | Brunei's No.1 News Website". brudirect.com. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  11. ↑ "Sultanate - News | Negara Brunei Darussalam | 25 years of sovereignty". www.sultanate.com. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  12. ↑ "News - Golden Jubilee Procession". www.hmjubliemas.gov.bn. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  13. ↑ "HRH Princess 'Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah Joined 'Let's Walk/Run Ladies 2016' | Brunei's No.1 News Website". brudirect.com. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  14. ↑ Times, Vietnam (2020-11-02). "Sultan of Brunei: All things about the four famous children with his second wife". Vietnam Times. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  15. ↑ "Her Royal Highness Princess Azeemah Ni'matul Bolkiah". Gavin Goh Photography. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  16. ↑ "Brunei Ladies Open Golf Tournament Prize Presentation" (PDF). Brunei Darussalam Newsletter. Vol. 33, no. 3. Department of Information, Prime Minister's Office. 19 March 2022. p. 22.
  17. ↑ "You are being redirected..." asean.org. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  18. ↑ "Majlis istiadat perkahwinan diraja mulai 8 Januari » Media Permata Online". Majlis istiadat perkahwinan diraja mulai 8 Januari. 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  19. ↑ Burack, Emily. "Brunei's Princess Azemah Ties the Knot". Town and Country Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
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