Mayor Kang Ki-jung's Letter of Support to Gwangju Athletes Including Table Tennis
Officials and athletes affiliated with Gwangju City Hall, who will participate in the Paris Paralympics on the 28th, are reaffirming their determination to perform well. [Photo by Gwangju City Disabled Sports Association]
Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung sent a letter of encouragement to the national representative Gwangju athletes participating in the '2024 Paris Paralympics.'
In his letter, Mayor Kang encouraged, "Together with 1.5 million citizens of Gwangju, we will cheer for the beautiful infinite challenge of sixteen heroes who have tirelessly run beyond limits toward hope."
The Gwangju team will participate in six events at this Paris Paralympics: table tennis, shooting, archery, boccia, rowing, and athletics, with a total of 16 members (1 director, 2 coaches, 11 athletes, 1 assistant athlete, and 1 loader).
In table tennis, where medal acquisition is highly anticipated, players Park Jin-cheol, Kim Young-geon, Kim Jeong-gil, Seo Su-yeon, and Kim Seong-ok, all affiliated with Gwangju City Hall, will participate, while archery will feature Kim Ok-geum and Jeong Jin-young.
In shooting, three participants will compete: Park Dong-an from Gwangju City Hall, loader athlete Kwon Areum from the Gwangju Disabled Shooting Federation, and national shooting coach Yoon Geum-seok.
In rowing, Kim Se-jung (Lotte Chemical) from the Gwangju Disabled Rowing Federation will compete; in boccia, Kang Seon-hee (KEPCO KPS) and assistant athlete Park Se-yeol from the Gwangju Disabled Boccia Federation will participate. In the shot put event, Jeong Ji-song (Samho Development) from the Gwangju Disabled Athletics Federation will compete.
At this Paris Paralympics, the South Korean team aims to win 5 gold medals (3 in table tennis, 1 in boccia, 1 in shooting) and enter the top 20 in the overall rankings. The Gwangju Disabled Sports Association expects its affiliated athletes to win 3 gold medals (2 in table tennis, 1 in boccia).
Notably, this Paralympics marks the first participation of athletes from KEPCO KPS, Lotte Chemical, and Samho Development under the Gwangju City Hall banner, adding significant meaning.
Meanwhile, the '2024 Paris Paralympics' will be held for 12 days from August 28 to September 8. The South Korean team will compete in 17 events with 177 participants and held a send-off ceremony at the Olympia Hall of the Seoul Olympic Parktel on the 12th to wish for their success.
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