The women of the Belize Coast Guard and Belize Defense Force are going head to head in the second annual Wonder Woman Challenge. The competition pits four teams of female officers against each other in several competitions designed to test their teamwork, endurance and mental fortitude. The event kicked off this morning with a six-mile relay race followed by a run-swim-run competition. The event's coordinator, Lt. Junior Grade Alma Pinelo, told us about the grueling challenge and the sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie it's meant the foster...
Lt. Junior Grade Alma Pinelo - Event Organizer
"So what we've been doing this morning we started off with a six man relay. It's a two main event so today we'll be doing, this afternoon we'll be doing a run-swim-run competition, which is a run for one miles right here around the compound, there is a one mile ocean swim right there in the sea and then finishing off with a one mile run. Tomorrow we'll have two different events. Again at 8 and one being an obstacle course in the afternoon, and then a four lap run and each lap has different burdens that each team has to carry. The purpose of it was to do a security forces competition but for it to be all females.
"This is a different feel, a different mood, the competitive atmosphere is definitely high. This is the second year that we're doing it and I'm very excited that we got the BDF to join us this year. We have four teams two from the BDF and two from the coast guard. Each team leader is a senior female officer, myself being one, Ensign Reyes being the other, we have Captain Usher and Captain Elliot for the BDF."
Alex Courtenay, 7News
"And now we know that - is this supposed to highlight the training that our security forces receive and to show how capable our security forces are, especially the women."
Lt. Junior Grade Alma Pinelo - Event Organizer
"Right we wanted to see a little light as to what the women do, and to show Belizeans and especially young girls, aspiring young females that what we do is, we're just as capable, we're just as competent and we're just as prepared as our male counterparts."
The teams will be participating in an obstacle course and BCG Medley tomorrow.
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