Courtesy of: The Morning News
The Prime Minister Mike Eman was at hand at the airport to welcome back a group of young men training in our military outfit here, ARUMIL. The honor was due to their recent performance at the Dutch 4-days annual event held in Nijmegen, Holland. The Prime Minister remarked, “you make us all proud!”
The International Four Day Marches Nijmegen (or Vierdaagse) is the largest marching event in the world. It is organised every year in Nijmegen in mid-July as a means of promoting sport and exercise. Participants walk 30, 40 or 50 kilometers daily depending on their age and gender, and, on completion, receive a royally approved medal (Vierdaagsekruis). The participants are mostly civilians, but there are also a few thousand military participants.
Standard categories:
- 30 km x 4 days
- 40 km x 4 days
- 50 km x 4 days
Military category:
- 40 km x 4 days – Wearing uniform + at least 10 kg backpack for persons ages 19(or 19 that year)-49 (+ water, etc.)
- 50 km x 4 days
The Prime Minister thanked Captain Cedrick Werleman and Sergeant Lorenzo Texeira of ARUMIL for their leadership which inspired our young people to perform so well. Werleman explained that they had been training since January, hiking the whole island. And, says he…”we were well prepared and succeeded in getting to first place in the Dutch Royal Marines division, as well as in the naval division whom participated in the 4-day Nijmegen event.
“Our ARUMIL team also did the parachute test which they all passed successfully. They all received a certificate.
According to the young men, we went with the intention of only representing Aruba and not expecting to win the first prize. Texeira indicated,..”we are very proud of our young people.”
