Emile off to make international mark

GEORGE NEWS - Five consecutive years decorated as SA's Toughest Firefighter Alive, the senior Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) firefighting champ, Emile Conrad, jetted off to Portugal on Wednesday 27 April to take part in the 2022 International Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA) Championship.

This demanding event is part of the World Firefighters Games, held in Lisbon this year from 30 April to 7 May.

The World Firefighters Games is an international sporting event open to all fire service personnel, whether full-time, part-time or volunteer.

It is held every second year in a different country and firefighters can take part in more than 50 different sports and challenges including archery, rugby sevens, windsurfing, poker, swimming, athletics and softball, with the TFA the blue ribbon event.

This year Conrad, who has been the winner of the Men's Individual category of the SA Toughest Firefighter Alive competition five consecutive years up until 2019, will be the only male from George competing in the TFA. Only one other person from South Africa is taking part in the TFA discipline - firefighter, Baigum Abrahams from Cape Town, who will be taking part in the women's section.

"I'm very overwhelmed and thankful for everything that God has done in my life," said Conrad. "In addition, I would like to thank my friends and Charnaud Protective Wear, who not only provided me with the best firefighting gear, but also made this trip possible. I can't wait for game day."

Conrad and Abrahams will be joined by 18 other firefighting athletes from across the country who will take part in other sporting codes during the games.

The TFA event takes place over two days and consists of four strenuous stages with activities that include hose dragging, an obstacle course, a tower climb and a stair running event. The person who completes it in the shortest time is declared the winner.

Emile Conrad battles it out during a previous competition.