""All the athletes in the team have 20 gold medals around their necks, and the gold will be returned to the country." The Paris Paralympics disbandment ceremony "Class"

Sep 10, 2024

Bae Dong-hyun, head of the Paris Paralympic Games, Jang Sung-won, head of the shooting team, and Kim Hwang-tae, a triad of iron men, are shouting out "fighting" with a pure gold medal presented by Bae Dong-hyun, head of the Paris Paralympic Games, to former athletes and coaches. Photo courtesy = Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Bae Dong-hyun, head of the Paris Paralympic Games, Jang Sung-won, head of the shooting team, and Kim Hwang-tae, the three-time Ironman, are shouting out "fighting" with a pure gold medal presented by Bae Dong-hyun, head of the Paris Paralympic Games, a front-runner, and a pure gold medal to the head coach.Photo courtesy = Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Bae Dong-hyun, head of the Paris Paralympic Games, and Park Jin-ho, a two-time Olympic shooter. Bae was deeply moved by the huge reward of presenting a gold medal of 20 pure gold to the medal-winning athletes, the unwinnable athletes and the entire team. Park Jin-ho, who was named the MVP of the Paris Paralympic Games through a vote of reporters, was injured in a Toyota vehicle. Photo courtesy = Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

photo courtesy of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

"Good job, Paris Paralympic athletes!"

South Korea's team, which won six gold medals at the Paris Paralympics, returned home in gold. The South Korean team for the Paris Paralympic Games, led by Bae Dong-hyun (Changsung Group Vice Chairman), arrived at Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 10th after a 12-day battle.

The 177-member South Korean team, including 83 athletes (46 males and 37 females), ranked 22nd overall with 6 gold, 10 silver, and 14 bronze medals. He fell behind 20th in the target rankings, but exceeded his goal of '5 gold medals'. With two gold medals and 41st place at the Tokyo Paralympics, it became a competition to announce the `revival' of Korean sports for the disabled on the world stage.

photo courtesy of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

The atmosphere at the arrival hall was 'Fraudulent". Bae Dong-hyun, the head of the team with his right hand raised, took the lead by pushing the wheelchair of Yoon Ji-yu (24, Seongnam City Hall), a silver medalist in the women's singles table tennis (sports grade WS3), and Yoon Ji-yu waved the Korean national flag vigorously. A warm atmosphere, quite different from the controversial ceremony for the Paris Olympics, and the ceremony for the Paris Paralympic athletes was held at the Great Hall in Incheon International Airport. The road leading from the immigration gate to the Great Hall, the welcoming family and association officials cheered with placards next to the squad procession. Jang Mi-ran, the second vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Chung Jin-wan, president of the Korea Sports Association for the Disabled, and Park Jong-chul, general manager (chief of Icheon Sports Village), congratulated the players on their achievements and encouraged them to work hard.

photo courtesy of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Bae Dong-hyun, the head of the team, gave a solid gold medal to all the athletes and gave them warm encouragement. "The Paralympics are over, but the bright future is just beginning. I'm rooting for everyone's hopeful future" said hello. Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Mi-ran said, `We will do our best to create a healthy society where all citizens enjoy sports rights fairly and people with disabilities and non-disabled people can mingle together"Congratulations on returning home safely after all the games. I would also like to thank the people for their enthusiastic support." Chung Jin-wan, president of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled, said to the athletes, `Yesterday's glory and failure became the past. "I hope that athletes with medals around their necks prepare for the future, such as how to maintain their performance, and what to prepare and fill if they fail to make it to the podium."Let's take a good rest during the Chuseok holiday and start anew!," he said, expressing his strong support.

The emotion continued until the end. Bae Dong-hyun, the head of the Korean national team, expressed his gratitude by hanging the promised pure gold medal around the neck of Kim Hwang-tae, who took the Paralympic stage for the first time in Korea's triathlon history, and Jang Sung-won, the coach of the shooting team who hit three gold medals. At the ceremony on the 12th of last month, Bae announced that he would present 20 pure gold and 'true' gold medals to medalists who won Paralympic gold, silver, and bronze medals, but immediately before returning home, the plan was completely revised at the 'Team Night' event. It became a hot topic when it revealed its plan to present a pure gold medal to not only medalists but also all the participants and coaches who gave the impression of the Paralympics. On the blackboard of the athletes' village, the players made an acrostic poem with the words `Bae: Bae Dong-hyun: You are as friendly as a neighborhood brother/Hyun: Real life is God Dong-hyun' to encourage the players to cheer up in the first row of the stadium and to praise the team leader 'Gold Medal' who gives all the support for the team from behind. The entire team wrapped up their brilliant Paralympic journey by taking a commemorative photo with a golden smile with 'everyone's gold medal' around their necks.

photo courtesy of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Meanwhile, Park Jin-ho (Gangneung City Hall, Sports Grade SH1), the only multi-gold and two-time winner of this competition, was selected as the best player (MVP) for the Paralympic Korean team by the Korea Sports Association. The MVP, who made a surprise announcement at the ceremony, was awarded a sports utility vehicle (SUV) 'RAV4 Hybrid' provided by Toyota Motor Korea as an injury. Park Jin-ho, who was called the MVP winner at the ceremony, said "I'm honored to be the first MVP. I didn't even think of itAfter being moved ", I will think it means that it has helped the team that much. I will continue to be a player who shows good performances" expressed his feelings.

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