Bae Dong-hyun, chairman of the BDH Foundation, announced on the 18th that he attended the induction ceremony for the global disabled sports team ‘BDH Paras’ held in the conference room of the Korea Sports Association for the Disabled on the 16th and recruited two new players (Choi Yong-beom and Yoo Yeon-soo).
On this day, Yoo Yeon-soo, a former Jeju United FC goalkeeper who newly joined BDH Paras, was involved in an accident caused by a drunk driver while traveling in a car with his teammate. Unfortunately, he became paralyzed from the waist down and is preparing for the second chapter of his life after retirement. To find the sport that best suits him, Yu had prior experience in various sports such as wheelchair basketball, table tennis, badminton, and shooting, and finally chose shooting. He joined BDH Paras and will participate in the 2028 LA Paralympic Games scheduled to be held in four years. We embark on a new challenge with the goal of. Chairman Bae plans to support Yu to become a shooting athlete, and is providing a full scholarship to obtain a master’s degree so that he can prepare not only for shooting but also for the future.
Choi Yong-beom, a disabled canoeist who joined BDH Paras along with Yu, lost his left leg in an unexpected car accident in March 2022 while rowing toward his dream of becoming an Olympian. Afterwards, Choi entered para canoeing at the recommendation of his old teacher, and within 10 months, he became the first Korean para canoe to qualify for the Paralympic Games and advanced to the finals at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Chairman Bae (former head of the Korean team at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games), who cheered for Choi’s final match in Paris at the time, pushed for Choi to join BDH Paras so that he could focus solely on sports, and Choi will participate in summer sports in the future. In addition to canoeing, he said he plans to try Nordic skiing, a winter sport.
Chairman Bae said at the induction ceremony, “I am very proud of Choi Yong-beom and Yoo Yeon-soo who are taking on new dreams. “I sincerely congratulate them on joining BDH Paras and am happy to be able to support the dreams of both players,” he said. “We will continue to strive to support the happy lives, challenges, and dreams of disabled sports athletes.”
Chairman Bae, who founded BDH Paras for the balanced development of disabled sports and the happy lives of athletes, supports various sports in summer and winter to support the dreams of disabled athletes not only in Korea but also around the world. Since 2012, we have been consistently recruiting and supporting athletes with a special interest in sports for the disabled, and most of all, we are focusing on creating an athlete-centered environment where athletes can focus solely on sports.
Shin Shin-hyeon of BDH Paras won Korea’s first Winter Paralympic gold medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympic Games, Jo Jeong-du won Korea’s first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, and Yoo Min Won won the gold medal for athletes who participated in the Paralympic Games. He was elected to an elected position for the first time in Korea in the IPC (International Paralympic Committee) athlete committee election held by . In addition, BDH Paras won a total of 21 medals (11 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze) at the 44th National Sports Festival for the Disabled held in Gimhae last October, and Kim Yun-ji, who joined in September this year, won the swimming event. He won five gold medals and one silver medal and was given the honor of being selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Meanwhile, Chairman Bae, who served as Korea’s first athlete team leader at both the Winter and Summer Paralympics, will take the lead in discovering and recruiting new athletes even after the 2018 Pyeongchang and 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, saying, “We will continue to strive for the development of sports for the disabled and always.” “I plan to support the players,” he said.
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