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Fight to the Finish

The annual event includes a military-style obstacle course and aims to recruit local high schoolers to attend UCF and join its ROTC program.

Teams of four took on a military-style obstacle course for the 15th annual Iron Knight Challenge. In partnership with local and national government agencies, the event provides a pathway for high school students to attend UCF and join the university’s ROTC program or become a professional first responder.

JROTC youth and adult challengers from across Florida completed the 4-mile race as they made their way around UCF’s campus, leaving no comrade behind. In this test of physical and mental endurance, 41 teams emerged victorious this year and received a knight helmet as trophies.

“It was great to see UCF connect with its surrounding community and build relations with all the high schools and first responder groups in the area.”

— Paul Hayes, UCF Army ROTC cadet and integrated business student


$100

Entry fee for each team, supporting cadets in the UCF Army ROTC program

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Supporting units were in attendance, including the U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Air Force, and Orange County Fire and Police departments

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Physical fitness events along the route, including tire flips, deadlifts and pull-ups


A team of four crawls and pull weights under barbed wire

A team of four crawl under a barbed wire while pulling weights in a desperate attempt to complete the fitness challenge. (Photo by Kadeem Stewart ’17)


A man does a push-up while wearing a large backpack


A woman walks backwards while pulling a tire


A man does a pull-up


A closeup of an Air Force UCF ROTC patch