THE 31 Special Forces Battalion emerged as the top male team at the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Third- Quarter Fitness Competition, after two days of demanding physical and military skills tests.
The competition brought together 12 teams, including the Guyana Police Force’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, with competitors required to demonstrate endurance, accuracy, discipline and teamwork while performing under fatigue.
The events included shooting, rappelling, swimming, navigation and first aid, along with a night shoot, a five-kilometre run, an assault course, falling plate shoot and grenade throw.
The GPF SWAT team secured second place in the male category, while Base Camp Ayanganna finished third.
In the female category, the Guyana National Reserve took first place, followed by Base Camp Ayanganna in second and the Coast Guard in third.
The two-day competition was designed to test the participants’ physical fitness and ability to execute essential military tasks in challenging conditions.
At the closing ceremony, GDF Colonel General Staff, Colonel Kenlloyd Roberts, MSM, commended the participating teams for their commitment and noted improvements over the previous quarterly competition.
Roberts urged the competitors and their commanders to assess the results, identify areas requiring improvement and intensify preparations for the final quarterly competition of the year.
The results will also provide commanders with an assessment of the fitness levels and military proficiency of participating units, helping to inform training programmes ahead of the final competition.
The GDF said the ongoing fitness assessments are intended to help maintain the standards required of personnel to protect Guyana’s territorial integrity and respond effectively when called upon.