Sayeret Matkal wins army's annual combat fitness competition

Sayeret Matkal, the IDF's elite reconnaissance unit, won first prize in the army's annual combat fitness competition, which was held this week on extremely short notice.

It was the first time in years that Sayeret Matkal won in the special forces category. Finishing in second place was Shaldag, the air force's special operations unit, while in third place was Israel's naval commando unit, Shayetet 13.

In the infantry brigade category, first place went to the Paratroopers Brigade. The Kfir Brigade came in second place with the Givati Brigade finishing third.

Among the fighting units that incorporate female combat troops, first place went to the Homefront Command's search and rescue unit, second place was won by the Oketz canine unit, while third place went to the Caracal infantry unit.

In the mechanized category of the competition, first place went to the Navy's Shayetet 3 missile boat flotilla.

This year's event was held on the shortest notice ever given to the participating units, with just one week to prepare. The competition included numerous endurance and combat readiness trials, including the dreaded combat soldier's course, which tests the fitness of the units' officers; the combat obstacle course, which tests the soldiers' ability to cope with a variety of strenuous physical challenges; the platoon test, which tests each unit's abilities as a whole; and the Krav Maga (Israeli martial arts) test.