Ukraine and China crowned champions as the 61st CISM WMC Aeronautical Pentathlon concludes in Rio de Janeiro
RIO DE JANEIRO (BRA) - The 61st CISM World Military Aeronautical Pentathlon Championship reached its grand finale on Tuesday, November 11, in Rio de Janeiro, after five intense days of competition that tested the skill, endurance and spirit of military athletes from nine nations. The final day was devoted to the two most physically demanding disciplines of the championship, the Obstacle Run and the Orienteering Race, which would determine the new world champions and bring to a close an event marked by excellence, friendship and sportsmanship.
The day began early at the 26th Parachute Infantry Battalion with the Obstacle Run, a demanding test of strength, coordination and agility. The course, designed according to CISM regulations, required competitors to overcome a series of walls, beams, tunnels and jumps with speed, precision and rhythm. Every obstacle tested the athletes’ ability to maintain balance, endurance and mental focus.
Ukraine delivered an exceptional collective performance. Major Mykhailo Bezuhlyi won the men’s event with a time of one minute and thirty-two seconds, earning 1,112 points. Lieutenant Thiago Gomes of Brazil followed closely in second with 1,100 points, while Major Dmytro Kmetiuk, already leading the overall ranking, confirmed his consistency by finishing third with 1,032 points. Ukraine’s dominance was reinforced by Major Yaroslav Vasiuta and Major Vadym Rud, who finished fourth and fifth respectively, ensuring Ukraine’s continued leadership in the standings. China’s Flight Sergeant Yahao Li finished sixth with 950 points, and Flying Officer Wenfa Xu placed seventh with 930. Brazil’s Captain Ariel Kaczmark ranked eighth with 924, delighting the home crowd.
In the women’s competition, China once again displayed remarkable coordination and mastery of technique. Pilot Officer Jia Wang took first place in one minute and fifty-four seconds, earning 1,088 points, followed by Flying Officer Haoqin He with 1,082 and Sergeant Kaili Zhang with 1,074. Spain’s Captain Cristina Betegón secured fourth place with 1,000 points, while Sweden’s Second Lieutenant Linnea Tang and Brazil’s Sergeant Ellen Souza shared fifth with 998 points each.
The competition then moved to the Orienteering Race at the 27th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the last and decisive event of the championship. This discipline combined physical endurance with tactical navigation, requiring athletes to find control points across varied terrain using only a map and compass. Each decision counted, and fatigue tested both their strength and clarity of thought.
Brazil’s Lieutenant Walney Oliveira delivered a spectacular performance, winning the men’s event with a time of fifty-three minutes and fifty-five seconds for a score of 1,085 points. Ukraine’s Major Mykhailo Bezuhlyi followed with 1,071, while Spain’s Captain Eduardo Martínez-Osorio completed the podium with 1,056. Brazil’s Captain Ariel Kaczmark took fourth place, and Sweden’s Captain Erik Vikman came fifth. Ukraine’s Major Dmytro Kmetiuk, finishing seventh, held onto his overall advantage to secure the individual gold medal and the world title.
In the women’s Orienteering Race, Brazil’s Sergeant Ellen Souza celebrated an emotional victory on home soil, completing the course in fifty-six minutes and seventeen seconds with a score of 1,101 points. China’s Flying Officer Haoqin He finished second with 1,075 points, and her compatriot Sergeant Kaili Zhang was third with 1,060. Spain’s Captain Cristina Betegón and Sweden’s Second Lieutenant Ida Bladh completed the top five.
At the conclusion of the six disciplines of the Aeronautical Pentathlon, Shooting, Swimming, Fencing, Ball Contest, Obstacle Run and Orienteering, the final results crowned Major Dmytro Kmetiuk of Ukraine as the new men’s world champion with a total of 5,303 points. China’s Flying Officer Wenfa Xu took the silver medal with 5,118 points, while his teammate Flight Sergeant Yahao Li claimed bronze with 5,019. Ukraine’s Major Mykhailo Bezuhlyi finished fourth with 4,999, and Brazil’s Captain Ariel Kaczmark completed the top five with 4,735.
In the women’s category, Flying Officer Haoqin He of China officially confirmed her victory with a total of 5,145 points. Brazil’s Sergeant Ellen Souza secured the silver medal with 4,947 points after her remarkable performance in the closing race. China’s Sergeant Kaili Zhang earned bronze with 4,912 points, while Pilot Officer Jia Wang finished fourth with 4,754 and Finland’s Staff Sergeant Heini Pelto ranked fifth with 4,047 after her record-setting performance in the Shooting event. Lithuania’s Sergeant Vaiva Pestininké placed sixth with 4,035 points, followed closely by Sweden’s Second Lieutenant Linnea Tang with 4,005, confirming the competitiveness of the women’s field.
In the team standings, Ukraine won the men’s overall title with 14,802 points, ahead of China with 14,668 and Brazil with 13,665. Spain and Finland rounded out the top five. In the women’s team competition, China confirmed its supremacy with a total of 10,057 points, followed by Brazil with 8,531 and Sweden with 7,601. Spain placed fourth, while Lithuania and the Czech Republic completed the top six.
The championship concluded with an emotional Closing and Award Ceremony at the Air Force University in Rio de Janeiro, attended by CISM President Colonel Nilton Gomes Rolim Filho, the Official CISM Representative and Board of Directors Member, Major General Rashid Mahbook Al-Dosari, and Colonel Alex Dall’Osso Minussi, General Coordinator of the event, along with athletes, coaches and officials from all participating nations. The ceremony included the traditional exchange of gifts, the presentation of CISM medals and a tribute to veteran competitors who have contributed to the legacy of military sport.
The Newcomer Trophy was awarded to China’s Flight Sergeant Yahao Li in recognition of his outstanding debut and promising future in the discipline.
The Friendship Through Sport Trophy, one of the highest Fair-Play distinctions of CISM, offered by the CISM Partner A5 Defense Industry Magazine, was presented to Denmark for its exemplary sportsmanship, team spirit and commitment to the values of solidarity and mutual respect that define military sport.
After the national anthems and the lowering of the CISM flag, the 61st CISM World Military Aeronautical Pentathlon Championship officially came to an end. The event left a lasting impression of excellence, friendship and cooperation, once again confirming that military sport is not only a contest of physical and mental endurance but also a bridge of understanding among nations.
The next CISM event will be the 47th World Military Parachuting Championship, which will take place in Doha, Qatar, from 13 to 23 November 2025, where military athletes from around the world will once again strive for excellence and unity under the CISM motto, Friendship Through Sport.
Find more information on the official website of the Local Organizing Committe: http://aeropentathlonbrazil2025.com/
(Source: CISM Media & Communication Department)
