– It has been without question a wonderful and successful week, says CISM Official Representative Colonel Nathalie Birgentzlen. The military athlete´s performance was top notch. The Organizing Committee must be commended for their meticulous planning and execution which ensured that the military athletes could perform at their best.
Successes for the athletes
The favourite nations in advance has to a large extent met the expectations, but some surprises have also happened when the championship results are summoned. The Swedish competitor Siri Englund is now an individual World Champion in military pentathlon, despite a tough competition with some of the Chinese competitors for example. The whole Swedish team also won the silver medals while the Chinese team won the gold medals and Brazil came in third place.
– I can´t believe that we have done so well! It´s easy to loose focus and concentration in one discipline and that makes it harder to deliver in five disciplines, says Hanna Aho in the Swedish team. It´s a lot of mental pressure. We really gave it all in every discipline!
In the men´s competition Germany won the team gold medals before Brazil in second place and China in third place. In the individual competition there is a Brazilian World Champion. Nils Kirchhöfer from Germany, who won the silver medal in the individual competition, summarizes the championships with positive superlatives:
– It´s amazing and I am so happy! I have made my personal best in three out of five disciplines, in the total and I am a World Champion with my team! We have made a great team work.
Success for the organization of the championship
For the Sports Director, Jesper Lindberg, several years of preparation finally pays off:
– I am both relieved and happy because everything has gone so well. Everybody that has been a part of organizing and carrying out this championship have done their utmost. I think the Air Defense Regiment and the Halmstad Garrison have succeeded in delivering a professional, fair and good competition. There are so many details which has to work and so many people involved at many different levels. Everybody has truly delivered at their best when it really mattered, and for that I´m very grateful!
- I would like to thank the Swedish Armed Forces for hosting this event in the beautiful city of Halmstad, CISM Official Representative Colonel Nathalie Birgentzlen.
Photo: Alexander Gustavsson/Swedish Armed Forces
The competitors are very satisfied with the championship. Theodor Gilhøj, competitor from Denmark summarizes his impressions:
– The championship has been very good! Almost perfect. The competition arena has been good, the food andaccommodation have been good. Everything has been close and we have been able to walk almost everywhere. I can´t complain about anything or say that it should have been done better.
”Friendship through Sport”
The Championship has for most parts had sunny weather, but on the last day of competition the rain was pouring down. The final discipline – The Cross country running – became a very wet and slippery race. But it also showed the friendship between the competitors.
– It was great to see the team spirit amongst the nations and also the camaraderie amongst the military athletes at the Cross country running event where dispite the rain, they waited at the finish line until all had completed the event, said Nathalie Birgentzlen. This, to me, showed respect towards one another and a recognition that this is more than a competition. CISM’s motto ”Friendship through Sport”, was realised this week.