The Cowey Blue Wheels secured their third title at the 46th National Para Games wheelchair basketball men’s division, defeating the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province team 72-46 in the final, according to Cowey.
Tournament Run and Final Matchup
According to Cowey, the preliminary matches for the tournament ran from August 31 to September 2 at the Jeju Halla Gymnasium, bringing together nine regional wheelchair basketball teams from across South Korea. The Seoul-based Cowey Blue Wheels opened their bracket play with a 77-30 victory over Incheon in the quarterfinals, followed by an 81-46 win against Gyeonggi Province in the semifinals.
In the September 2 final against Jeju, the teams played a tight first half before the Blue Wheels pulled away using sustained team coordination and depth in the second half. Kim Sang-yeol led the offense with 24 points, while teammates Kim Ho-yong and Kwak Jun-sung contributed 14 points each to seal the 72-46 win.
Season Dominance and Club Background
According to Cowey, this victory extends the team’s winning streak at the National Para Games to three consecutive gold medals. The squad has swept major domestic competitions throughout the year, including the Holt National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in April and the Korea Post-sponsored National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in June, while also competing in the 2026 KWBL Wheelchair Basketball League starting in July.
Head Coach Kim Young-mu stated that the players showed exceptional grit to secure the third National Para Games title and noted that the team will maintain its performance through the remainder of the wheelchair basketball league, according to Cowey.
Established in 2022, the Cowey Blue Wheels operate as the country’s only corporate-backed professional wheelchair basketball team. Beyond domestic competition, the club won the 2024 Asia-Oceania Club Exchange Tournament and the 2025 Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Governor’s International Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tournament. Off the court, the team runs outreach initiatives during the off-season, including wheelchair basketball experience classes with educational institutions and the Cowey Cup School Sports Club Wheelchair Basketball Tournament.
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