BDH Foundation chair praises BDH Paras after strong showing at national para winter games

Bae Dong Hyun, chair of the BDH Foundation, poses for a photo with the BDH Paras team. [Photo=BDH Foundation]

On Feb. 2, Bae Dong Hyun, chair of the BDH Foundation, encouraged athletes from BDH Paras, a global para sports team, after their strong performance at the 23rd National Para Winter Games, held for four days starting Jan. 27 across Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.

Hosted by the Korea Paralympic Committee, the event featured seven sports — cross-country skiing, biathlon, alpine skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, curling and short track — and drew 1,127 participants, including 486 athletes.

BDH Paras competed in cross-country skiing and biathlon, winning 14 medals — seven gold, three silver and four bronze. The team, which achieved a grand slam at the previous Summer National Sports Festival, also showcased its strength at the winter event.

Bae Dong Hyun, chair of the BDH Foundation, poses for a photo with the national team. [Photo=BDH Foundation]

Kim Yun Ji, who recently won gold medals at the FIS World Cup in Finsterau, Germany, and the IBU World Cup in Jakuszyce, Poland, dominated again. She won four titles — biathlon 4-kilometer sitting sprint and 6-kilometer sitting individual, plus cross-country 3-kilometer sitting and 4-kilometer sitting — and was named the meet’s MVP.

Shin Eui Hyun, a 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympics gold medalist, won three gold medals in the biathlon 6-kilometer sitting individual and the cross-country 3-kilometer sitting and 4-kilometer sitting events. Won Yu Min, an IPC athletes’ committee member, added two silver and two bronze medals, while Jung Jae Seok won one silver and two bronze.

Bae said, “I pay my respects to all the athletes who competed and gave their best until the end, and I sincerely congratulate those who placed.” He added, “I hope the valuable experience gained at this competition becomes meaningful groundwork in the preparation process for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics, and we will continue to provide support so the athletes can prepare for the next stage without wavering.”

The BDH Paras team will begin a 25-day training camp in Livigno, Italy, starting Feb. 4, as preparation for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics, which open March 6. The camp will focus on building fitness and improving performance in a high-altitude environment while maintaining race readiness.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Park Heewon