Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria .:: Abyssinia Battalion Wins 3rd Cadets Swimming Competition

Abyssinia Battalion Wins 3rd Cadets Swimming Competition

Abyssinia Battalion swam itself to victory, ahead of three other battalions, to emerge winners at the recently concluded Cadets Brigade Inter â€“ Battalion Swimming Competition, having recorded the best time at the end of the dayâ€™s events.

Guest of Honour, Air Comdr AI Durotoye, presenting the Championâ€™s Trophy to a rep of Abyssinia Battalion, winners of 2017 Cadets Brigade Inter-Battalion Swimming Competition

The competition, which was the 3rd of its kind organised by the Cadets Brigade, saw stiff and animated competing between cadets of the four regular cadetsâ€™ battalion, namely Abyssinia, Burma, Dalet and Mogadishu Battalions. Cadets competed in 9 individual events which include Combined Freestyle (male), Combined Freestyle (female), Combined Breaststrokes, Best of Freestyle (male), Best of Freestyle (female), Best of Breaststrokes (male), Best of Breaststrokes (female), Combat Swimming and Combat Undress.

Male cadets competing in one of the swimming events during the Cadets Brigade Inter-Battalion Swimming Competition

A female cadet swimming her way to victory during one of the events at the swimming competition

At the end of proceedings, Abyssinia Battalion emerged First with a cumulative time of 22 minutes, 35 seconds; Burma Battalion came in Second with a time of 26 minutes; Dalet Battalion was Third, having recorded a cumulative time of 33 minutes, 1 second; while Mogadishu Battalion placed Fourth with a time of 36 minutes, 5 seconds.

Participating cadets wade it out during the Combat Swimming event.

Combat Undress event during the Cadets Brigade Inter-Battalion Swimming Competition

Addressing cadets and guests at after the swimming events, Guest of Honour and Director of Logistics at the Academy, Air Commodore AI Durotoye, disclosed that at the Academy swimming is aimed at developing the physical and mental well â€“ being of cadets, as well as develop their endurance, noting that the sport is one that exercises every part of the body. He further reminded the cadets that swimming affords them the opportunity to build up their confidence, endurance and physical strength to an appreciable standard as is required of officer cadets at the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Guest of Honour and Director of Logostics, Air Comdre AI Durotoye, delivering his address during the Inter-Battalion Swimming Competition

Commodore Durotoye further noted that swimming enables the cadets to appreciate the importance of cooperation, particularly in joint operations environments which they are likely to encounter in future. He disclosed that this will potentially create better understanding in real battle situations. He therefore enjoined them to take swimming seriously because as professional soldiers they must be faced with situations where they might have to swim across a body of water to achieve a certain objective, either slowly as a member of a patrol or rapidly, under enemy fire. He therefore affirmed that as soldiers they must be adequately skilled in swimming so as to overcome any water obstacles.

The Guest of Honour thereon commended the cadets for the effort they had all put in individually and collectively in preparation for the swimming event. He noted that swimming is a physically demanding activity, particularly when done under competitive conditions. He therefore praised the cadets for putting up a go show of themselves as a result of their rigorous preparation. He commended both winners and losers for their efforts in the competition and urged them to improve on their efforts in future engagements.

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