FORNEY, Texas — The Forney Fire Combat Challenge Team broke their team record twice en route to a 9th place finish at the 25th annual Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge World Challenge in Alabama over the weekend.
FORNEY, Texas — The Forney Fire Combat Challenge Team broke their team record twice en route to a 9th place finish at the 25th annual Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge World Challenge in Alabama over the weekend.
The six-day competition began on Monday, October 24 and ran through Saturday, October 29, in the heart of Montgomery, Alabama.
Over 70 relay teams and 240 individuals from all over the world qualified at national and regional events this past year to compete at the world finals competition.
The Forney Combat Challenge Team set a new team record on the relay course of 1:10.66 — beating the previous team record of 1:13.68 set in September at a national competition in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The time, comprised of Team Captain Russell Bannister, Darren Yarborough, Brian Leathers, David Lawson, and Chad Baker, advanced through the ranks until their final placement in the Top 10 at 9th place.
“I couldn't be more proud of how our team competed this season and to finish in the top 10 in the world, it means a lot to us,” Bannister told inForney.com.
Bannister finished 34th in the individual competition with a time of 1:30.36. Leathers and Yarborough also set new personal records in the individual competition with sub-two minute times, 1:56 and 1:52, respectively. Both had personal records of 2:05 prior to the world competition.
“The time and effort these guys have put in training, on the course and in the gym, as well as the mental preparation it takes to compete in this sport, it really makes it that much more special when you see it pay off at the world finals,” he said.
“But with that being said, we wouldn't have even had this opportunity if it wasn't for the community behind us and the support from our family, friends, the fire department, and our sponsor Mr. Restore,” he said. “We are truly blessed!!”
The team previously beat their relay time during the wild card seeding rounds with a time of 1:11 which was set during a race against the Desoto Fire Department. The team dedicated the race to Forney Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Jamie Barkham who was injured last after falling from a ladder at work and sustaining a skull fracture.
Barkham’s son, Brent, was a founding member of the Forney Fire Combat Challenge Team before joining the Desoto Fire Department and becoming a founding member of their challenge team.
