By REYNALD MAGALLON
In a great show of athleticism and gallantry, Mikee Romero broke free in a blur of speed and escaped a fierce scramble for the polo ball. He then summoned every ounce of power left, and delivered the last-gasp goal.
It was only his second goal of the contest but it was the one that most mattered as his team – GlobalPort-Passion For Polo – pulled off a stunning 11-10 win over defending champion Flying Changes in the 2025 USPA Midwest Open on Monday, Aug. 10, at the Las Brisas Polo Club in Chicago, Illinois.
On the verge of another defeat, Romero, ranked No. 24 in the world with 110 World Polo Tour points, simply found the perfect time to deliver what he deemed as one of his ‘’beautiful and courageous” shots not only to complete the stunning comeback but, more importantly, allow his team to bounce back from a stinging 13-14 defeat to CD Peacock in the opener.
“One of my best shots ever,” said the former lawmaker, who gained recognition after GlobalPort’s historic debut at the 2025 Gauntlet of Polo, often referred to as the Olympics of polo.
Romero’s last-gasp goal capped the impressive show of resilience for the team which also featured American Colo Gonzalez, ArgentinianNino Obregon, and Fil-Am Anthony Garcia, especially after the relentless assault from the defending champions early in th game.
On a break from his socio-civic work being the chairman of the Association of Reservists and Reservist Administrators of the Philippines, Inc. (ARRAPI) with a rank of lieutenant colonel, Romero said the team simply channeled their own fighting heart and version of the Filipino’s patented Never-Say-Die spirit.
“It’s our chemistry and big fighting heart that carried us through,” added Romero, who is the highest-ranked Southeast Asian player on the global circuit.
Gonzales and Obregón were a joy to watch as they controlled the midfield battles before Romero made his great play.
Next for Romero and company is a vital duel with host team Las Brisas on Aug. 14 before colliding with Beaver Creek on August 16.
