Dubai Police have been crowned the winners of this year's UAE Swat Challenge.
Dubai Police B team won the event with 325 points and Dubai Police A team came second with 303 points, state news agency Wam reported. The Sardar team from Kazakhstan were third, scoring 302 points.
The UAE Swat Challenge is organised by the Dubai Police and held under the patronage of Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
The fifth annual event concluded on Wednesday at the Dubai Police training centre in Al Ruwayyah, with 11 squads from the UAE taking place.
Eighty seven teams from 48 countries participated, up from 55 last year, with prizes totalling Dh1 million ($272,000).
The challenge categories were tactical, assault, officer rescue, tower event and obstacle course.
In the obstacle challenge, the RNP Swat team from Rwanda won with 52 points, while teams from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan came in second and third with scores of 51 and 50, respectively.
Maj Gen Abdullah Ali Al Ghaithi, assistant commander-in-chief for operations affairs at Dubai Police, awarded the top 10 finishers their trophies during a ceremony held on Wednesday.
The Abu Dhabi Police women's team made their debut in this year's competition.
"The decision to form the all-women team was made last year with the goal to excel on both local and global stages," Lobna Elhalawani, fitness trainer for the force's elite F7 Directorate, told The National earlier this week.
Other all-women teams included squads from Chile, Belarus and Thailand.
The UAE Swat Challenge aims to promote co-operation and understanding between international Swat teams and highlight best practices.
It first started in 2019 and involves teams from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and the Ministry of Interior, as well as squads from overseas.
The tests are designed to assess tactical skills, mental focus and physical endurance.
UAE Swat Challenge 2024 – in pictures
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Leading the Dubai women's team at the UAE Swat Challenge this year is 2nd Lt Afra Hareb Al Nuaimi, 27. Leslie Pableo for The National -
The Abu Dhabi Police women’s team at the UAE Swat Challenge, held at Dubai Police training centre, in Al Ruwayyah. Pawan Singh/ The National -
The Abu Dhabi women’s team is taking part in the Challenge for the first time. Pawan Singh/ The National -
The Abu Dhabi Police women’s team take on an obstacle course. Pawan Singh/ The National -
Lobna Elhalawani is the fitness trainer of the Abu Dhabi Police women’s team. Pawan Singh/ The National -
The Abu Dhabi Police women’s team had three months of extensive training before the Challenge. Pawan Singh/ The National -
The Abu Dhabi Police women’s team hope to inspire more female police officers. Pawan Singh/ The National -
The Abu Dhabi Police women’s team say they are determined in their quest to win the Challenge. Pawan Singh/ The National
