Behind the Badge
The Anaheim Fire & Rescue team beat international competition and their own expectations to win the silver medal at the mud run event of the 2017 World Police and Fire Games.
Competitors got a huge break with unusually cool, overcast weather for the morning event Tuesday at Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, and team members Capt. Justin Balint, Jeno Gilia, Mark Hernandez, Sean Mazza, and Frankie Mora made the most of it with fast times over the five-mile course.
In the age 30+ division, the AF&R team finished just behind Dunedin, New Zealand Fire Service’s gold medal time of 37 minutes and 56 seconds, with an total time of 41:25. Shanghai Police won the bronze medal with a time of 43:55.
Runners, including team Anaheim Fire & Rescue runners that include from center left, Francisco Mora, Capt. Justin Balint, Sean Mazza and Mark Hernandez, take off at the start of the 2017 World Police and Fire Games Mud Run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
“It was fun and I’m glad we got everybody through it,” said Balint. “Because it’s rare to have an endurance event that’s also a team event.”
The course featured flats, one big hill and several muddy obstacles for competitors to go over, under and through.
AF&R Capt. Justin Balint runs through the muddy water during the mud run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
“We had to be ready after finishing third at a Camp Pendleton event a couple of years ago,” said Gilia. “I like medals. I like shiny things.”
Gilia said their surprising finish has only fired him up more.
“We never got a silver before,” he said. “Now I want to go to China in 2019 for the gold and keep the dream alive.”
The silver medal awarded to each member of the Anaheim Fire & Rescue team for taking second place in the 30 plus team category for the 2017 World Police and Fire Games Mud Run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Mazza flew in from a camping trip the night before to make the event and had to draw upon his previous experience as a professional skateboarder to complete the course.
“I’ve done a lot of these,” Mazza said. “It’s a matter of putting your head down and pushing through the pain.”
AF&R’s Sean Mazza climbs out of the mud during the mud run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
AF&R’s Mark Hernandez jumps into the muddy water during the mud run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
AF&R’s Francisco Mora climbs over a net during the mud run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
AF&R Capt. Justin Balint, with Sean Mazza behind him, run through the water during the Mud Run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
AF&R’s Francisco Mora slides down into the muddy water.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
AF&R’a Francisco Mora splashes into the muddy water.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
AF&R’s Francisco Mora, left, and Capt. Justin Balint run the final yards of the mud run together.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Officer Laura Visentin of the Winnipeg Police Service in Manitoba, Canada cools off with the other runners at the end of the 2017 World Police and Fire Games Mud Run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Jeramy Crumblin of Fire & Rescue New South Wales, left, finds a new friend, and exchanges T-shirts, with Anaheim Fire & Rescue Firefighter Sean Mazza at the end of the 2017 World Police and Fire Games Mud Run.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
The winning teams on stage for the 30-plus division of the 2017 World Police and Fire Games Mud Run are, from left, second-place team Anaheim Fire & Rescue; first-place team Fire and Emergency New Zealand; and third-place team, Shanghai Municipal Police.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
The Anaheim Fire & Rescue team of (left to right) Jeno Gilia, Mark Hernandez, Frankie Mora, Sean Mazza and Capt. Justin Balint pose with their silver medals after the mud run at the 2017 World Police and Fire Games.
