Gyeonggi Province Disabled People's Life Sports Competition Opens in Gapyeong...4,276 Athletes Compete in 19 Events
The 20th Gyeonggi Province Disabled People's Life Sports Competition opened with an opening ceremony on August 28th at Seo Island on Jarasseom in Gapyeong County and runs through August 29th for two days.
Under the slogan 'Healing Gapyeong, Inclusive Gyeonggi,' the competition features a total of 4,276 participants, including 1,957 athletes from 31 cities and counties and 2,319 guardians and officials.
Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae said in her opening remarks, "You have come to this moment by practicing countless times without giving up, falling down, and getting back up. I give a big round of applause to your passion and determination as you have been quietly working hard while gradually expanding your own limits."
Governor Choo also said, "Life sports for people with disabilities must be established in our daily lives so that when people with disabilities want to exercise, they can choose the sport they want near their home without a major decision and naturally receive the help they need. Gyeonggi Province will gradually expand that path," and emphasized, "We will expand Bandabi Sports Centers and disability-friendly sports facilities, and will strengthen programs and coaching staff tailored to each region and type of disability. We will ensure that opportunities to exercise do not differ based on where people live or what type of disability they have."
The competition features athletes with various types of disabilities including visual impairment, intellectual disability, hearing impairment, and cerebral palsy, showcasing the skills they have honed over time.
The competitions are held in 19 life sports events: gateball, basketball, billiards, dance sports, lawn bowls, badminton, boccia, bowling, swimming, weightlifting, track and field, rowing, table tennis, park golf, soccer, e-sports, shuffle, taekwondo, and showdown.
The opening ceremony to mark the start of the competition was held on August 28th at Seo Island on Jarasseom in Gapyeong County, attended by Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, Gyeonggi Province National Assembly Vice President Kim Mi-suk, Gapyeong County Governor Seo Tae-won, and other city and county leaders, members of the National Assembly, provincial assembly members, heads of sports organizations, and residents involved in disabled sports.
Prior to the opening ceremony, pre-event performances including sign language performances and wheelchair dance were held, and after the official ceremony, congratulatory performances by NoraJo and Jang Yoon-jung followed.
The Bandabi Sports Center mentioned by Governor Choo is a public life sports facility designed to allow people with disabilities to exercise conveniently in their daily lives. It is an integrated sports space where people with disabilities have priority use, but is also shared with people without disabilities.