Day 2 of the Wonder Woman Competition
The fourth annual Wonder Woman Competition began on Monday morning with five teams from across the security forces of Belize. With the aim of the three-day competition is to identify the best team from across the services which include the Belize Police Department, the Belize Defence Force, and the Belize Coast Guard. Day one the challenge began with a with the Coast Guard Fitness test which includes best efforts in push-ups, sit ups, pull ups followed by a two-mile run. Day two started with a six-mile relay run along the George Price Highway starting at the Coast Guard Headquarters. This afternoon a medley which is designed to test the team’s ability to carry weights and burden under the pressure of time was held at the coast guard headquarters. Hipolito Novelo has the story.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Day two of the fourth annual Wonder Woman competition kicked off today with the participation of five teams from Belize Police Department, the Belize Defence Force, and the Belize Coast Guard. For the second day, the women’s ability to carry weights and burden under the pressure of time was tested through a coast guard medley.
Sarah Arzu
Ensign Sarah Arzu, Coast Guard Member
“Which you carry around a quarter mile with four weights which you have a thirty-pound body armor along with a thirty-five-pound cleat as well as a stretcher simulating a person on it, and as well you have the log. This even is for when you are in combat. You need to prepare yourself for whatever is in front of you. So when you are in combat and you are tired, you have weights and a lot of stuff. It is to train you and your body and mind and in order to go through with whatever obstacles you have in front of you. They have to work in a team in order to accomplish whatever goal they want to set. So it is a team effort because the time is set after the last person so you have to work as a team.”
This year five teams, comprised of six members, participated. It is the first year that the Belize Police Department was represented.
Ensign Sarah Arzu
“This competition started in 2016 with only coast guard personnel. We had four teams. In 2017 we extended the invitation police department as well as the B.D.F. In 2017 we had the participation only from B.D.F., but today in 2019 we have the participation from the police department. So this year we have five so this is the biggest event for the wonder woman competition.”
It’s much more than just a competition of between women in the forces. It’s about their stamina, strength, and endurance. The competition highlights the important role that the women play within the military forces.
Ensign Sarah Arzu
“Many people just see female in the military as just female in office. We want to show them that we are different. We can also do as much as the males can do. Although we are tired and we are fatigued we can also push to the limit and exceed whatever we want to achieve.”
The competition concludes on Wednesday. Hipolito Novelo, News Five.
