Regional Planning 'Not a Single Moment of Neglect'...Gapyeong County Pulls Out All Stops to Prepare for Gyeonggi Province Disabled Sports Games
[News S=Reporter Um In-yong] Ahead of the opening of the '20th Gyeonggi Province Disabled Sports Games,' Gapyeong County is mobilizing all available resources to ensure a successful tournament.
The two-day event, running from the 28th of this month, will see over 5,000 participants from all 31 cities and counties across Gyeonggi Province.
Athletes will compete fiercely across 19 sports including track and field, swimming, soccer, boccia, and showdown at 17 venues including Gapyeong General Sports Complex.
"Not a single moment of neglect"...we looked into the tournament preparations that Gapyeong County is undertaking with full force.
■ Opening Ceremony: A 'Festival' With Performances, Experiences, and Food
The opening ceremony will be held at 9:30 a.m. on the 28th at Jara Island's West Island. Beginning with sign language performances and wheelchair dancesport performances, the ceremony will feature the entrance of athlete delegations from all 31 Gyeonggi Province cities and counties, official proceedings, celebratory performances by singer Jang Yun-jeong and Nora Zo, and prize drawings to heighten the festive atmosphere.
The venue will also operate various side events including experience programs such as water gun shooting challenges and summer fan-making crafts, food zones featuring dakgangjeong (fried chicken with sweet and spicy glaze) and pine nut pie, Gapyeong agricultural specialty product sales, local brewery tasting events, and health campaigns.
■ Cooler and More Convenient...A Spectator-Centered Tournament
In preparation for this summer's record-breaking heat wave, Gapyeong County moved the opening ceremony time from afternoon to morning and shortened the event duration. The venue will be equipped with large shade tents and parasols, heat wave relief stations with mobile air conditioners, and cooling buses. Ice water-dedicated refrigerated trucks will also be positioned on-site to minimize inconvenience to spectators.
Additionally, the county plans to create a barrier-free environment by operating sign language interpreters, braille guidebooks, and support booths for people with mobility challenges, making it a festival that both people with and without disabilities can enjoy together.
■ Experience the Charm of Unique Sports
One notable viewing highlight of this tournament is the opportunity to experience disabled sports that are difficult to encounter in everyday life all in one place.
Lawn bowling is a precision competition played on grass. Taking advantage of the characteristic that a specially weighted ball rolls in a curve rather than a straight line, the strategy of placing one's ball close to the target ball or pushing away an opponent's ball constitutes the appeal of the game. Showdown is known as 'blind table tennis.' Athletes wear blindfolds and engage in offensive and defensive play by only listening to the movement of a sounding ball. In silence, competitors rely solely on hearing and reflexes to determine the winner.
Boccia, a Paralympic star sport, is a strategic game reminiscent of winter Olympic curling. Success depends not only on placing a ball closest to the target but on precise tactics of pushing away opponents' balls or blocking their path. Sjoelen, which anyone of any age can easily enjoy, is played by sliding discs on a board approximately 2 meters long to score points, requiring precise force control and concentration despite its apparent simplicity.
Lee Seon-gyu, director of Gapyeong County's General Sports Tournament Promotion Task Force, stated, "This tournament is a celebration of harmony in which everyone enjoys and cheers together beyond competition," and added, "We will do our best to prepare for the tournament so that many county residents and tourists can visit the venue to share the inspiration and special memories of disabled sports."