Home PageNewsNaval PentathlonWuhan waters host a powerful start to the 54th WMC Naval Pentathlon

Wuhan waters host a powerful start to the 54th WMC Naval Pentathlon

 

Utility swimming 4

 

WUHAN (CHN) — The competition phase of the 54th CISM World Military Naval Pentathlon Championship officially began on 20 October at the Mulan Lake Campus of the Naval University of Engineering in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. After the grand Opening Ceremony on October 19, the world’s best military pentathletes from China, South Africa, Brazil, Cambodia, Spain, Iran, Italy, Pakistan, and Russia took to the water for the first day of events.

 

This unique CISM discipline, which combines strength, skill, and seamanship, consists of five demanding races: the Obstacle Race, Lifesaving Swimming Race, Utility Swimming Race, Seamanship Race, and Amphibious Cross-Country Race. Each event is designed to simulate real naval conditions, testing the endurance, precision, and adaptability of military personnel at sea.

 

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The opening event, the Utility Swimming Race, immediately set a high standard. This race tests competitors’ ability to swim effectively while handling practical naval challenges, such as retrieving or transporting equipment, under strict time conditions.

 

In the women’s competition, Elizaveta Klimenteva of Russia delivered an outstanding performance, taking first place with a time of 49.06 seconds and scoring 1460 points. She was followed closely by Zhang Na of China and Tatiane Pereira de Souza of Brazil, both demonstrating excellent control and consistency in the water.

 

On the men’s side, Brazil’s Felício Carriço Dal’Col took the top spot with 1:00.73, narrowly ahead of Cheng Fengxuan of China and Ivanilson Soares de Sousa of Brazil. The results underscored the close competition between Brazil, China, and Russia, nations with a strong naval pentathlon tradition.

 

Utility swimming 3

 

The second event of the day was the Lifesaving Swimming Race, a true test of courage and operational readiness. In this event, competitors must swim in working dress and simulate the rescue of a person in distress, demonstrating both speed and discipline under pressure.

 

Once again, Elizaveta Klimenteva (RUS) proved unbeatable, winning her second consecutive race with 54.61 seconds and confirming her position as one of the early favorites for the overall individual title. She was followed by Tatiane Pereira de Souza (BRA) in second and Iuliia Poturaeva (RUS) in third, marking a strong Russian performance on the women’s podium.

 

Lifesaving swimming 3

 

In the men’s race, Nikita Kaletin (RUS) took gold with a time of 54.06 seconds, just ahead of teammates Viacheslav Pimenov (RUS) and Ivan Nadorov (RUS), sealing a remarkable Russian sweep of the men’s top three positions. The host nation China also performed well, placing multiple athletes in the top ten, while Brazil and Spain remained close behind.

 

According to the CISM Naval Pentathlon Regulations, these events reproduce real-life naval operations, from obstacle navigation and swimming under combat conditions to lifesaving and seamanship. Each race requires absolute precision, stamina, and mental control, embodying the military virtues of readiness, resilience, and teamwork.

 

With strong performances from Russia, China, and Brazil, and encouraging results from Italy, Spain, Iran, and South Africa, the championship promises a week of close competition and mutual respect among all participating nations.

 

Lifesaving swimming 5

 

The event will continue in the coming days with the Seamanship Race and the Amphibious Cross-Country Race, before concluding with the Obstacle Relay Race and the overall team and individual award ceremonies.

 

The 54th CISM World Military Naval Pentathlon Championship once again highlights the spirit of “Friendship through Sport”, bringing together military athletes from around the world to share the values of excellence, discipline, and international solidarity that define the International Military Sports Council.

 

 

(Source: CISM Media & Communication Department and Chinese Delegation to CISM)

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