Run, Cheer and Connect: Gangnam-gu Hosts 'One Heart Sports Day' for People With Disabilities

Gangnam-gu is set to host a gathering where people with and without disabilities can mingle and connect.

The second Gangnam-gu One Heart Sports Day for People with Disabilities will be held at Gangnam Segok Sports Park on Thursday, from 9:45 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.

The event is designed around activities that anyone can join regardless of disability type, with no specialized athletic skills required. Rather than emphasizing winning or losing, the focus is on moving together, cheering each other on and mixing naturally.

About 500 people are expected to take part, including four teams drawn from sports club members affiliated with the Gangnam-gu Disabled Sports Association and people with disabilities from welfare facilities and organizations in the district, along with event staff. The day will open with a performance by the nanta drumming team from Chunghyeon Welfare Center, after which the four teams will compete in a fun-sports relay format.

The five events are: "Lift the Earth," in which participants pass a giant ball overhead; "Shoe Archery," where players toss shoes at a target to score points; "Ball Pool Bonanza," in which teams volley balls over to the opposing side; "Balloon Tire Roll," a two-person relay around a turning point; and "Ad Balloon Volleyball," where teams try to drop a large ball into the opposing court.

Beyond the competitions, participants will enjoy recreational activities such as a color-panel flip game and a magic show, giving everyone a chance to laugh and interact. Six experience booths will also be set up, offering hands-on introductions to Korean Sundo, scholen and hangung, allowing visitors to explore a range of adaptive sports in a relaxed setting.

"This sports day is a gathering of unity where the meaning lies not in winning or losing but in cheering each other on and enjoying the day together," Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki said. "We will continue to expand a variety of programs so that people with disabilities can enjoy sports more easily and up close."