U.S. ARMED FORCES CROSS COUNTRY TEAM BATTLES COLD WEATHER AT CISM

16 March 2013 – APATIN, SERBIA -- With a fresh layer of snow, temperatures remained frigid at during the opening start of the 55th Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM) World Military Cross Country Championship.

The U.S. Armed Forces Cross Country team competed in the 55th edition of the CISM championship, competing in the Men's Long Course, Men's Short Course, and the Women's 5K on 16 March in the Northwestern Serbian town of Apatin.

After several days of snow leading up to the competition, the sky opened up to beautiful sunshine. With snow still on the course, competitors fought the elements for the world military gold.

Navy lieutenant Gina Slaby (Naval Base Norfolk, VA) lead the U.S. women with a time of 19 mins, 4 sec earning 15th place in the Women’s 5K division. Followed by her teammates Army first lieutenant Chelsea Prahl (Fort Lee, VA), Navy lieutenant Amanda Rice (Narita, Japan), and Army Major Emily Potter (Fort Bragg, NC); the U.S. women placed fourth overall finishing behind Bahrain, Morocco, and France respectively. Eight total teams competed in the women's 5k.

Armed Forces Cross Country Champion Army Specialist Robert Cheseret led the tightly packed U.S. men's short course 5K race with a time of 16 mins, 11 sec. Fellow Army World Class Athlete Program teammates from Fort Carson, CO specialists Joseph Chirlee, Kyle Heath, and Augustus Maiyo all crossed the finish line within 20 seconds of each other earning 7th place out of 18 international teams.

Navy lieutenant William Christian led the U.S. men’s long course team with a time of 38 mins, 23 sec in the 11-kilometer race. Teammates Air Force first lieutenant Bradley Chornister (Scott AFB, IL), Marine Corps captain Sean Barrett (Henderson Hall, VA), Marine Corps sergeant Richard Powell (Camp Mabrey, TX), Navy lieutenant Stephen Slaby (Naval Base Norfolk, VA), Army specialist Edwin Sang (Fort Carson, CO), and Air Force captain Jacob Johnson (Little Rock AFB, AR) placed sixth overall out of 16 nations.

Founded on the 18th of February 1948, the International Military Sports Council (CISM) is one of the largest multidisciplinary organizations in the world behind the International Olympic Committee. With 133 member nations, CISM conducts numerous world military championships each year.
The Serbian delegation to CISM was host to the 55th edition of the World Military Cross Country Championship.

Bahrain stole the 2013 show by capturing the Women's 5K team title and Private Bekele Alemu winning individual gold with a time of 15:11. The Bahrain men took bronze in the team 5K – short course with Private Zelaman Regasa winning individual gold with a time of 35:22. Bahrain men dominated the 11K-long course winning the team gold over Morocco by more than 23 points.

The U.S. Armed Forces Cross Country team was selected by the best times from the 2013 Armed Forces Cross Country Championship held in conjunction with the USA Track and Field Cross Country National Championship on 2 February in Saint Louis, MO. Teams from each branch of Service competed not only for bragging rights for their Service, but to represent the United States at the CISM World Military Championship. For more information about the Armed Forces Sports program and CISM, visit href="https://afs.dod.afpims.mil/Home.aspx">www.armedforcessports.com

2013 U.S. ARMED FORCES TEAM RESULTS AND ROSTER:
ARMED FORCES CISM CROSS COUNTRY DELEGATION

CHIEF OF DELEGATION: LTC Anthony Johnson, (USA) Fort Sam Houston, TX
TEAM CAPTAIN: Mr. Kenneth Polk, (Armed Forces Sports) Fort Sam Houston, TX
COACH: LTC Theodore Leblow, (USA) Fort Riley, KS
ATHLETIC TRAINER: CPT Jason Barber, (USA) Fort Carson, CO
USA WOMEN COMPETITORS (5km)
MAJ Emily Potter, (USA) Fort Bragg, NC
LT Amanda Rice, (USN) Narita, Japan
LT Gina Slaby, (USN) Naval Base Norfolk, VA
1LT Chelsea Prahl, (USA) Fort Lee, VA

USA MEN COMPETITORS - Short Course (5km)
SPC Kyle Heath, (USA) Fort Carson, CO
SPC Augustus Maiyo, (USA) Fort Carson, CO
SPC Joseph Chirlee, (USA) Fort Carson, CO
SPC Robert Cheseret, (USA) Fort Carson, CO

USA MEN COMPETITORS - Long Course (11km)
SPC Edwin Sang, (USA) Fort Carson, CO
LT Stephen Slaby, (USN) Naval Base Norfolk, VA
1stLt Jacob Bradosky, (USAF) Malmstrom AFB, MT
LT William Christian, (USN) Naval Air Station Little Creek, VA
1stLt Bradley Chornister, (USAF)Scott AFB, IL
Capt Jacob Johnson, (USAF) Little Rock AFB, AR
Capt Sean Barrett, (USMC) Henderson Hall, VA
Sgt Richard Powell, (USMC) Camp Mabrey, TX

USA ARMED FORCES HIGHLIGHTS - 16 March 2013
*WOMEN'S RESULTS*
(Gold Medalist) Pvt Shetaye Eshete (Bahrain) 16:56:56

(15th Place) LT Gina Slaby, (USN) Naval Base 00:19:04
(16th Place) 1LT Chelsea Prahl, (USA) 00:19:10
(19th Place) LT Amanda Rice, (USN) 00:19:30
(21st Place) MAJ Emily Potter, (USA) 00:19:43

STANDINGS - WOMEN (FOUR PER TEAM USED TO CALCULATE SCORE)

1st - Bahrain (13);
2nd - Morocco (29);
3rd - France (48);
4th - USA (71);
5th - Venezuela (99);
6th - Brazil (108);
7th - Spain (149);
8th - F.Y.R of Macedonia (186)

*MEN'S SHORT COURSE RESULTS*
(Gold Medalist) Pvt Bekele Alemu, (Bahrain) 00:15:11:83

(23rd Place) SPC Robert Cheseret, (USA) 00:16:11
(24th Place) SPC Joseph Chirlee, (USA) 00:16:15
(25th Place) SPC Kyle Heath, (USA) 00:16:15
(31st Place) SPC Augustus Maiyo, (USA) 00:16:31

STANDINGS - MEN'S SHORT COURSE TEAMS (THREE PER TEAM USEED TO CALCULATE SCORE)

1st - Poland (16);
2nd - Algeria (16);
3rd - Bahrain (24);
4th - France (29);
5th - Morocco (43);
6th - Switzerland (46);
7th - USA (72);
8th - Spain (95);
9th - Belgium (97);
10th - Brazil (103);
11th - Venezuela (104);
12th - Turkey (127);
13th - The Netherlands (139);
14th - Germany (152);
15th - Serbia (155);
16th - UAE (165);
17th - Canada (184);
18th - Bosnia and Herzegovina (184)

*MEN'S LONG COURSE RESULTS*
(Gold Medalist) Pvt Zelaman Regasa, (Bahrain) 00:35:22

(31st Place) LT William Christian, (USN) 00:38:23
(36th Place) 1stLt Bradley Chornister, (USAF) 00:38:46
(40th Place) Capt Sean Barrett, (USMC) 00:39:12
(49th Place) Sgt Richard Powell, (USMC) 00:40:05
(56th Place) LT Stephen Slaby, (USN) 00:40:26
(60th Place) SPC Edwin Sang, (USA) 00:40:41
(76th Place) Capt Jacob Johnson, (USAF) 00:43:05

STANDINGS - MEN'S LONG COURSE TEAMS (FOUR PER TEAM USED TO CALCULATE SCORE)

1st - Bahrain (10);
2nd - Morocco (33);
3rd - Algeria (45);
4th - France (74);
5th - Switzerland (122);
6th - USA (153);
7th - Brazil (166);
8th - Venezuela (186);
9th - Ecuador (188);
10th - Spain (205);
11th - Lebanon (215);
12th - Turkey (251);
13th - Canada (288);
14th - Germany (303);
15th - F.Y.R. of Macedonia (329);
16th - UAE (355)

Information compiled by Kenneth Polk, Armed Forces Sports