By Wang Peinan, Fu Xiaohui and Wang Shilong
The Chinese military women's team rushes to the finishing line during the "Sayan Range March" Snowfield Combat and March Competition of the International Army Games (IAG) 2024 in Russia on April 8, 2024. (Photo by Yang Guiliang)
With medals and flowers, 23 participants who fought in the "Sayan Range March" Snowfield Combat and March Competition of the International Army Games (IAG) 2024, returned back to the barrack of a brigade under the PLA 78th Group Army, from the IAG competition field in Russia, on April 12.
The IAG, known as the "military Olympics", is an international military event initiated by the Russian defense ministry in 2013. The "Sayan Range March" was added to the event in 2019. Participants are required to complete a 50-kilometer march in snowfield and compete in 12 items including team shooting, slope climbing, avalanche search and rescue, and wounded evacuation.
This is the third time that troops from a brigade of the PLA 78th Group Army have participated in this competition on behalf of China. Unlike previous years, there are seven female members in the delegation this year.
As the first foreign women's team to participate in this competition, the Chinese women's team won first place in nine items and the total result ranked first in the women's competition. The Chinese men's team also achieved breakthroughs in multiple items, securing first place in three items and second place in four items, ranking second in the total results of men's competition.
On April 2, the Chinese participants arrived at the competition terrain in West Sayan Range in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, after a long maneuver. As the guns, avalanche search-and-rescue sensors and multiple gears for the competition were provided by the sponsor, the Chinese female soldiers raced against time to adjust themselves to the surrounding environment in the following days of adaptive training.
On April 7, the competition kicked off. As the referee gave the command, seven men's teams from seven countries including China, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Iran, and two women's teams from China and Russia, set out simultaneously. From the morning of April 7 to the afternoon of April 8, for two days and one night, the participants of nine teams had to carry an average weight of 35 kilograms, ski over a round trip including six adjustment points and complete 12 items such as avalanche search and rescue, wounded evacuation, and team shooting continuously.
Slope climbing is the most grueling item for all participants. They have to climb up the snow mountain in a raging storm and carry heavy backpacks. When the Chinese female soldiers reached the steepest part of the mountain, their faces almost touched the mountain. At this time, the girls had to constantly shift their weight to resist the pulling force exerted by their backpacks.
After a morning of climbing, the girls finally reached the end of the item. The raging snowstorm also subsided at this moment, and the warm sunshine filtered through the clouds onto them. Nonetheless, they dared not relax even a bit.
In the final item, the Chinese female soldiers teamed up to minimize competition time by using the straight downhill technique to maximize their speed. With their skilled rope-joining abilities and steady descending technique, they quickly navigated the rough terrain and secured first place in the women's competition for this item.
The Chinese women's team won first place in the women's competition, defeating the host team, with a total time of 11 hours 55 minutes and 33 seconds and a total score of 10,275 over two days.
"Congratulations on your excellent results. You have displayed bravery and determination in the competition, showcasing a positive image of Chinese service members." At the end of the award ceremony, Colonel Zykov, head of the physical training directorate of the Russian defense ministry, approached the Chinese female soldiers and praised their professionalism and courage.