Unified in Pyeongtaek, from Gyeonggi to the world!
(Published May 11, 2012)

Gyeonggi Province successfully held the 58^th Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival

◇ Athletes entering the 58^th Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival. ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang

On May 11^th, the 58^th Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival, hosted by Gyeonggi Province and the Provincial Athletics Association and supervised by Pyeongtaek City and the Pyeongtaek Athletics Association, was held in Pyeongtaek, ‘a world-class culture city where all citizens are happy’.

The festival was held over a three-day period until May 13^th under the slogan ‘Unified in Pyeongtaek, from Gyeonggi to the world!’ Some 7,097 athletes from 31 different cities and counties competed in over twenty official events including track and field, swimming, football, and tennis, and other exhibition sports such as yachting.

The opening ceremony was held in two parts – a pre-game ceremony and the official ceremony – at 10am on May 11 in the main stadium of Pyeongtaek Sosabeol Leisure Town. There were over 20,000 participants including athletes from 31 different cities and counties, directors and cheering squads, and guests including Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, Provincial Assembly Chairperson Heo Jae-an, Gyeonggi Educational Superintendent Kim Sang-gon and members of the National Assembly.

◇ As athletes representing each of the 31 cities and countries entered the stadium, performances unique to their respective areas were staged. ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang

The pre-game ceremony started with a video clip introducing Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek City, and continued with ‘The Open Sea’, in which the Section 3 military headquarters and the navy band of Squad 2 of the Korean Navy participated. Congratulatory performances were staged by the Goreu Art Company, which performed a Daebuk show, followed by a cheering squad performance, and a performance by the Pyeongtaek Nongak Preservation Society.

After the announcement of the opening, the teams of athletes representing each city and county were introduced. The team from Yeoncheon County was the first to be introduced at the festival, with the Pyeongtaek team being the last.

◇ The athletics teams facing center stage. ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang

◇ Bae Min-ju, second torch-bearer and cross-country runner, lights the flame ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang

Jeong Gi-cheol, president of the Gyeonggi Athletics Association (for elderly athletes), hosted the program, which consisted of the state opening of the festival, the raising of the flag, the lighting of the flame, the swearing in of the athletic teams, and a congratulatory performance. Athletes Sin Jae-u and Lee Sin-hye took the oaths, while athletes Yu Byeong-hun, Bae Min-ju and Hwang Seon-ok lit the flame.

Governor Kim said, “I hope that the Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival helps to unify the 12 million provincial citizens and improve their health.” He continued, “The future sports leaders of Gyeonggi, who have won for ten consecutive years in the National Sports Festival, should present the unity of Gyeonggi and Korea.”

Meanwhile, 12.5 million provincial residents participated in the closing ceremony of the 58^th Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival held on May 13th. Around 12,000 athletes from 31 different cities and counties participated in the festival this year, with Suwon City achieving victory in the Part One League and Icheon City in the Part Two League. The 59^th Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival will be held in Yeoncheon County.

◇ Governor Kim and guests move center stage for the opening speeches. ⓒ G-News Plus/ Heo Seon-ryang

ⓒ G-News Plus / Im Se-jin / sejeenee@kg21.net

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201205111629357055C049&s_code=C049