You may remember the Coast Guard Best Warrior Competition. That's an event where the elite Coast Guard Officers compete against each other in squads of 8 taking on some of the most taxing physical tasks, to see is the toughest, most battle hardened warrior.
Last year, we were embedded with the Coast Guard to give you an in-depth look at what these soldiers put themselves through over the course of 3 days.
Well, the competition is happening again, for the third time, and these gluttons for punishment are back at it to find out who is the best of the best.
Today, we visited the Coast Guard Headquarters to see Day 1 of the competition in progress. Here's what their commandant had to say about it:
Admiral John Borland, Commandant - Belize Coast Guard
"The event is going to be hosted over 3 days. Today is day 1 and we finish on Sunday day 3. So its 3 days and 6 evolutions and today we just concluded the first event which was Coast Guard Physical Fitness test, where we tested the men on their upper body strength and a bit of their endurance. The test included maximum push-ups, sit-ups and dips done over 2 minutes and then two mile run in the best individual effort. This afternoon at 2pm, we go to the jetty and we'll do a 2 mile endurance swim. It's very choppy out there. We are going to do it. This what we look forward to. Champions are chosen by team. It's a squad effort in what we called a squad - 8 men. This is the basic element in which we are expected to fight. So we've got to start operating in teams of 8. The teams are scored, even though each man's individual time is recorded. At the end of the day you get a team's core/squad score. Even though each man time is recorded, at the end of the day it's all averaged out. You get a team score/squad score and the top team is the team with the least time combined overall."
Lt. Gregory Soberanis, Commander - 1st Fleet
"My team has been training for the past two months. It has been very rigorous. We've had a strict training program and the guys have been following a regimen daily that enable them to enhance the ability to perform over the next 3 days."
PO3 Alford Godfrey, Member - Fleet Team
"This is my 3rd year in this competition from the start of the Best Warrior Competition and before when the Coast Guard held the Iron Man Competition. So I am one of the senior competitors and am second in charge of the physical training aspect. That's the way you are going to get the competition easier."
This afternoon, the competitors took on a 2 mile endurance swim in choppy seas in front of Belize City. Tomorrow, the 40 Coast Guard officers will take on a swimming challenge at the BDF pool in Price Barracks Ladyville, then a medley obstacle course at the Air Wing Williamson Complex in Ladyville.
Then on Day 3, which is Sunday, the 5 teams will take on an 8-mile march and shoot competition, followed by a final obstacle course at the Williamson Complex in Ladyville once again. The team with the best time will be the winner.
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