PRISTINA - As part of their efforts to mark their national day on 28 October, the Czech contingent of KFOR organized a very challenging and physically grueling competition in Camp Film City on Sunday 25. Military fitness and robustness are critical components for all soldiers regardless of nationality, age or employment.
28 men and 2 women made up the 15 teams from 9 countries (Austria, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Moldovia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovenia) representing contingents from Camp Film City, Camp Novo Selo and Camp Villaggio Italia.
In order to maintain their impartiality, there was no Czech team entered, instead volunteering their services as judges. The concept of the games was to test competitor’s functional fitness and team work through synchronized weighted lunges and 12 minutes of AMRAPS (the acronym means “as many reps as possible”) and just as their legs begged for rest, a beep test. The top 3 teams qualified for the finals where again teamwork and fitness were key with teams required to complete deadlifts and shoulder presses to failure. All teams were assessed by independent judges from other contingents.
At the end of the day, following the review of video evidence and an upheld appeal the Polish Team were deserved victors with Easy Unit 1 (Austria) and Gnujrci (Slovenia) a very close second and third.
Special attention was paid to adhere to all Covid-19 measures to make the competition safe for both participants and visitors. An Austrian medical team was present throughout the competition to deal with any eventualities.
After the tests, participants and visitors could taste some Czech specialties such as goulash and learn information about famous Czech sportsmen. These days, the Czech contingent has a small but influential footprint in KFOR but they have always remembered where their roots in Kosovo lie. All proceeds raised as part of this event will be used to buy some sport supplies for Hasan Ramadani Elementary School in Sajkovac/Shajkofc to commemorate 12 years of Czech military presence in the area.