Cape Town’s Baigum Abrahams is on fire and once again came out tops at the Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA) competition.
Abrahams has successfully defended her title as South Africa’s top female firefighter, overcoming personal challenges and inspiring a new generation of girl firefighters.
Held in Mossel Bay from 25 to 28 September, the prestigious event brought together the best firefighters from various regions, challenging them to showcase their skills in a range of individual and relay events.
The TFA competition consists of gruelling tests designed to evaluate competitors’ physical fitness, endurance, and firefighting skills with events such as hose-dragging to obstacle courses.
Abrahams says: “This journey is about self-improvement, where I am my own greatest opponent and where competition serves as a benchmark for growth.”
She describes her victory as a battleground where she faced her weaknesses head-on.
“It's me against me and the prize is that I'm constantly forged into a stronger, more resilient version of myself, physically, psychologically and emotionally.”
However, in the months leading up to the competition, she faced many challenges, such as adjusting to a new role at work, coping with death in her family, navigating single motherhood, studying and recovering from a stint in hospital in June.
The brave woman says: “I'm grateful for each obstacle, lesson and tear that brought me to where I am right now.
Her training consisted of trail runs, and travelling with her takkies, bather, wetsuit and gym equipment in her car in order to train whenever and wherever she gets a chance.
She was also part of the City’s women’s team that won gold in the relay event.
Abrahams says the competition gets better each year.
“With precise timing and seamless event transitions, the circuit was close to international standards.
“The event had a vibrant atmosphere with enthusiastic spectator support, clean venues, more female competitors which is encouraging and inspiring and also a milestone as we welcomed our first international competitor from Hamburg, Germany.”
The City’s 26-person team secured a haul of ten medals.
Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, says: “They are some of the toughest, bravest and most dedicated women and men in uniform, and we are exceptionally proud of them. Well done to the team.”
Abrahams says in the fire and rescue world, she believes that females are definitely doing equally well as men.
She adds: “While physiological differences do exist - men generally have higher bone density, thicker skin, more muscle mass, lower body fat percentage - these distinctions don’t define our capabilities.”
byron.lukas@inl.co.za