"'Vanuatu who threw avocado is a loner. Korea made a paralimpian."' International sponsorship project of the Korea Foundation XBDH, which the world is paying attention to

Sep 04, 2024

Vanuatu pole thrower Ken, Oceania and Vanuatu Paralympic Committee officials visited Paratim Korea House on the afternoon of the 3rd (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Vanuatu track and field javelin thrower Kenkahu, who competed at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, is getting ready to throw the javelin. Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

The world's disabled sports community is paying attention to Korea.

This is because the Korean Sports Association for the Disabled and the Bae Dong-hyun BDH Foundation distributed the fruit of help to countries with poor sports environments for the disabled has produced beautiful results. A disabled person who lived without even basic human rights being treated properly participated in the 2024 Paris Paralympics on behalf of the country with the help of Korea.

Ken Kahoo (25) is a javelin thrower for Vanuatu, a small island country in the eastern Pacific Ocean in Australia. He was a player who trained by throwing avocado fruits spread across the avocado farm where he worked because he had no spears. I never imagined participating in the Paralympics. However, it grew with the help of the Korea Sports Association for the Disabled and the BDH Foundation, and became a decent 'paralimpian'.

Vanuatu track and field javelin thrower Kenkahu who competed at the 2024 Paris Paralympics

In the men's javelin throw (sports grade F64) final at the Paralympic Games held in Stade France in Paris, France, on the afternoon of the 3rd (Korea time), Kahu recorded 52m01 and ranked 9th out of 10. In the first period, he recorded a foul, but in the second period, he broke his personal record (48m17). It was far from medal contention, but he achieved his dream of participating in the Paralympics for the first time.

Vanuatu, which has a population of only 33, consists of about 80 islands, but 65 of them are uninhabited islands. Villa, the capital, has an airport and modern buildings, but some islands still have tribes living close to primitive lives. Vanuatu participated in the Sydney Paralympics in 2000 and the Beijing Paralympics in 2008. He sent two runners to the Sydney Games and a weightlifter to Beijing. However, after that, he was rarely able to send out a player. There were many practical problems such as costs and facilities.

However, a total of two players participated in the tournament, including Eli Enoch (35) and Kahoo (35) of the women's shot put. Vanuatu was able to return to the Paralympic stage for the first time in 16 years because of the help from the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled and the BDH Foundation. The BDH Foundation was established by Bae Dong-hyun, vice chairman of Changsung Group, who served as the head of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the chairman of the board. Chairman Bae Dong-hyun created a foundation to support more sports for the disabled.

Kahoo Ken (left) and Bae Dong-hyun (center), chairman of the BDH Foundation, visited Paratim Korea House, which opened in downtown Paris, France. Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Chairman Bae Dong-hyun helped countries with poor sports conditions for the disabled, such as Latin America, Africa, and Oceania. He also visited Vanuatu and Latin American countries in person with Chung Jin-wan, chairman of the Korea Sports Association for the Disabled. It was to support the hosting and participation of the competition so that athletes from the country could receive international sports grades, and to support the Paralympic committees of each country.

In October last year, it signed a three-way business agreement between the Korean Sports Council for the Disabled, the Oceania Paralympic Committee (OPC), and the BDH Foundation, and promised to support sports for the disabled in six countries, including Vanuatu. Vanuatu has also conducted a program to discover athletes with disabilities since January this year.

Kahoo is also one of the first Paralympians to participate in the Paralympics with the help of the BDH Foundation. Kanu, who started disability sports in 2018 at the age of 19, has only competed in regional competitions, but not in big international competitions. No matter how many times you throw avocados, your javelin throwing skills will not improve. It was not possible to get an international sports grade. However, with the help of South Korea, I started systematic training and participated in the Paralympics with the equipment..

Kahu visited Team Para Korea House with Enoch on the 3rd and met Chairman Bae again. Kahoo was honored to represent Vanuatu at the Paralympics"I didn't know Korea at all before that. I am so grateful to Koreans and the BDH Foundation." Vanuatu Paralympic Committee Chairman Margaret McFarlane said, `With the help of Bae Dong-hyun, our athletes were able to participate in the Paralympics and train abroad. Thank you.

OPC Chairman Paul Byrd said "Six sports developing countries in the Oceania region were able to compete in the Paralympics. It was a support that I had never received before. Some countries have developed Paralympic sports like Australia, so we will be able to cooperate with each other."

Jeong Jin-wan, chairman of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled, and Bae Dong-hyun, chairman of the BDH Foundation (from left), meet with Kahu Ken, a Vanuatu pole thrower, and officials from the Oceania and Vanuatu Paralympic Committee, who visited Paratim Korea House on the afternoon of the 3rd (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Bae Dong-hyun, chairman of the board, said "I was even more moved" Chairman Bae has revealed his experience of visiting Vanuatu in the past. At the time, he said "It was an environment in which people with disabilities were not treated as personalities. He even prevented his disabled child from going outside because he was ashamed to be seen by others. But the perception has changed to sports. People who threw rocks at the disabled said they became national athletes, so they threw bouquets of flowers. They also raised money for these players. I was really proud to see that," he said, explaining his amazing experience.

Chairman Chung Jin-wan has been holding international sports camps in Korea for 10 years, and with the help of the BDH Foundation, he began supporting other countries three years ago. In the early days of sports for the disabled, we also received help from other countries, but it is significant that we can now support the international sports community. Thanks to this, many other countries are looking at Korea with interest during the Paralympics. He said, "I've been talking a lot about solidarity with me as well."

wman@sportschosun.com