The Eunpyeong-gu disability sports team claimed first place at the 2026 Seoul Disability Balloon Volleyball Championship, held Thursday at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Student Gymnasium, the district government said.
The Seoul Metropolitan Sports Association for the Disabled hosted the tournament, with the Korea Paralympic Committee as sponsor. It was organized to promote communication and teamwork between people with and without disabilities and to encourage participation in everyday sports.
Balloon volleyball replaces a standard volleyball with a special balloon roughly 40 centimeters in diameter, making the sport accessible and safe for people with severe disabilities and older adults alike.
The Eunpyeong-gu squad, which fielded both wheelchair users and able-bodied players, finished first among all 16 participating Seoul districts on the strength of its cohesive teamwork. As champions, the team will represent South Korea at an international balloon volleyball friendly in Japan in November, competing alongside the Seoul Metropolitan Sports Association for the Disabled.
The district said it hopes the international competition will deepen sports exchanges with cities abroad and provide an opportunity to share its disability lifestyle sports programs and operational expertise.
"I extend my congratulations and gratitude to the players for their outstanding teamwork and this achievement," district mayor Kim Mi-kyung said. "We will continue to do our utmost to expand support for disability lifestyle sports so that people with and without disabilities can enjoy healthy lives together."
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