Students bring home the silverware from challenge
The team of 10 from Fareham College attended the inaugural competition for the RAF Recruiting Challenge Cup.
They returned as national champions with four of the nine trophies in their possession.
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Hide AdThe college was invited by the RAF to enter a team and they were coached by uniformed services lecturer Steve Christian.
Mr Christian said: ‘We are incredibly proud of what these students have achieved.’
There were six disciplines to complete, including a 1.5-mile squad run, bleep test, five-minute RAF presentation, parade training, shooting, and an RAF general knowledge test.
Mr Christian added: ‘Their performance on the day was truly outstanding, especially with the presentation.
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Hide Ad‘I saw some really anxious faces in the team before the presentation, but they overcame their nerves and gave a fantastic delivery.’
The team’s superior fitness ensured that Fareham College won the first two disciplines by clear margins, completing the 1.5-mile squad run in 10 minutes 40 seconds.
Student Byron Quainton-Davis excelled at the bleep test and won the trophy for the best individual bleep score.
This gave Fareham College a strong platform for the remaining events which, although they did not win, ensured an early lead which could not be beaten by any other team.
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Hide AdConfident drill commander Callum Stephens, and an excellent performance by Sam Riches in the RAF general knowledge section, ensured the Fareham College students returned with a superb haul of silverware.
Mr Christian said: ‘They deserve this trophy because of the amount of effort they put into both their preparation and the competition.
‘Everyone in uniformed services at Fareham College is very proud of what they have achieved.’
Student Sam Riches, 17, said he really enjoyed the competition.
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Hide Ad‘We were able to work as a team and use each other’s strengths to achieve the awards we won.
‘The day gave us options to consider an RAF career.
‘We were also given advice on the roles available in the RAF as a possible route for the future.’
For more information about the course, go to fareham.ac.uk or call 01329 815200.