Gangnam-gu Developmental Disabilities Special Sports Event Emerges as Seoul City Festival

'2023 Eokkaedongmu Special Sports Day' to be held on October 5 at Millal School... From this year, Seoul city institutions expand participation, with a total of 19 institutions, 450 athletes, 7 events showcasing skills practiced over 6 months

Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) will hold the "2023 Eokkaedongmu Special Sports Day," featuring 450 athletes with developmental disabilities, on October 5th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Milal School in Irwon-dong (90 Irwon-ro).

This festival has been a health celebration where people with disabilities from developmental disability facilities in Gangnam-gu showcase their athletic skills. However, this year, five teams from Seoul have joined, turning it into a festival for people with developmental disabilities across the entire city of Seoul.

Systematic Training for Six Months Before the Competition

To prepare for the event, participants from the institutions practiced their sports disciplines for six months. Gangnam-gu and sponsoring organizations provided 19 teams participating in the competition with 16 types of physical activity materials and equipment, including curling sets, jumbo stacks, and medicine balls, in April. Additionally, 200 copies of the newly revised Physical Activity Guidebook for People with Developmental Disabilities were published and distributed to 47 local institutions.

From March to April, three training sessions were held for facility staff and teachers on teaching methods for sports for people with developmental disabilities and guidance on competition events. In August and September, as the event approached, the 19 teams were visited sequentially to monitor preparation progress and provide feedback to enhance the athletes' skills and confidence.

Seven Events Developed to Suit the Characteristics of People with Developmental Disabilities, Including Floor Curling and Moving Basket

The competitions will take place at Milal School’s indoor gymnasium (Venue 1) and outdoor sports field (Venue 2). To ensure fair competition, participants are divided into two groups based on similar levels of disability. The events are divided into three categories: Competition, Challenge, and Fitness King, totaling seven events.

The Competition category includes floor curling and moving basket (basketball) events, conducted in a tournament format. The Challenge category features sports stacking relay (jumbo cup stacking) and strike events, with team scores tallied to determine rankings. The Fitness King category measures individual records in grip strength and seated medicine ball throwing. At 2:40 p.m., the grand final of floor curling will take place.

Visitors cheering for the athletes can also enjoy various side events. These include an air bounce sports experience zone where they can try baseball, basketball, shooting, darts, and ring toss, as well as diverse programs such as calligraphy, face painting, and photo zones.

Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, stated, “Exercise is essential for people with developmental disabilities not only for health management and prevention of chronic diseases but also because it has positive emotional and social effects. Therefore, continuous provision of exercise programs is necessary. The Eokkaedongmu Special Sports Day serves as motivation for them to keep exercising and is a special day where they gather and receive support from everyone. We will continue to expand this event in the future.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.