Jeju's First National Para Games Open on the 11th; 475-Athlete Jeju Team Targets 12th Place Overall

[Financial News, Jeju = Jeong Yong-bok] Ahead of the first National Para Games ever held in Jeju, the 475-member Jeju delegation will head into competition with a target of 12th place overall and more than 150 medals. The team is aiming to climb four places from last year's 16th-place finish, and attention is focused on whether the host-city advantage can be turned into stronger performances.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 1st, the province held a send-off ceremony for the Jeju delegation to the 46th National Para Games that afternoon at the Jeju Disabled Sports Center.
About 250 people attended the ceremony, including athletes, executives of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Disabled Sports Association, and officials from individual sports federations. Governor Wi Seong-gon, who serves as the delegation leader, presented the team flag. The event continued with a report on the team's departure from the head coach, followed by a pledge read by coaches and athletes.
This year's Jeju delegation consists of 475 people in total, including 301 athletes and 174 officials and staff. It is the largest team ever fielded.
The team will compete in 26 sports and has set a goal of finishing 12th overall while winning more than 150 medals. At last year's 45th National Para Games in Busan, the Jeju delegation won 97 medals in total, including 42 golds, 26 silvers and 29 bronzes. The official overall ranking by the Korea Paralympic Committee (KPC) was 16th.
This year's event is also significant because it is being held in Jeju for the first time.

The 46th National Para Games will be held across Jeju for six days from the 11th to the 16th. More than 9,000 athletes from around the country will take part, competing in 31 sports including goalball, Boccia, Showdown, Sjoelen and Wheelchair rugby.
The opening ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. on the 11th at Jeju World Cup Stadium. The closing ceremony is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on the 16th at the second center of the International Convention Center Jeju.
Jeju Province has treated not only athletic performance but also the mobility of athletes with disabilities and access to venues as key priorities for the event, and it has carried out facility improvements as well. It renovated 26 venues, including the Hanlim Lawn Bowling Stadium, and completed accessibility upgrades at 10 venues. During the competition period, the province plans to continue on-site support for athlete transport and event operations.
For the Jeju delegation, the event carries the symbolism of competing in a first-ever home Para Games, while also bringing the challenge of aiming for more than 150 medals, 53 more than last year. The overall ranking target has also been raised from 16th last year to 12th this year.
Governor Wi Seong-gon said, "I will carefully oversee event operations and accessibility measures to the very end so that athletes from across the country can show their best in Jeju." He added, "Since this is a competition held in familiar Jeju, I hope the Jeju delegation will fully demonstrate its strength."


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