A goalball marathon was organised by “Move, Debrecen!”

The “Move, Debrecen! initiative organised a goalball marathon in the gym of Debrecen Árpád Vezér Primary School on February 20, 2025.

Goalball is a unique game and a Paralympic sport developed for the visually impaired. The ball with a rattle helps players find their way around based on its sound. Since sighted people can also play, all participants must wear blindfolds during the matches to create equal opportunities. The game aims to roll the goalball into the opponent’s goal by hand.

The matches organised within the framework of this sporting event were attended by students from the host Debrecen Árpád Vezér Primary School, as well as from Debrecen Bolyai János Primary School and Elementary Art School, Debrecen Hunyadi János Primary School, Debrecen Lorántffy Zsuzsanna Primary School and Debrecen Bocskai István Primary School, for whom the Hajdú-Bihar County Primary School, Grammar School, Vocational Secondary School, Technical School and Dormitory goalball playing students also held a demonstration match.

Regarding the event, Diána Széles, one of the founders of the “Move Debrecen!” initiative and Deputy Mayor of Debrecen, said, “Last year, on the occasion of the Hungarian Parasports Day (February 22), a similar goalball presentation was organised, where the children were told who play this game. According to experience, this sensitisation touched the children’s souls. So this school year, also approaching the Hungarian Parasports Day, the “Move, Debrecen!” initiative offered schools the opportunity to hold a larger event, ​​the first of its kind, within the framework of its school programme. As part of social responsibility, even young children must be made aware that there are peers who differ from them in some ability area, that not everyone has the same opportunities, that they must be paid attention to care for, and that they too can live a full life, even in the field of sports.” 

According to Diána Széles, several institutions in Debrecen provide significant assistance to people with different abilities. Now, the visually impaired students of the Hajdú-Bihar County Primary School, Grammar School, Vocational Secondary School, Technical School and Dormitory introduced the sport of goalball to the others, who were greatly impressed by it and would even be happy to play this game in physical education class. The goalball marathon has been a great success and will continue in the future, even in an expanded form, and in the long term, it can serve the development and growth of the children of Debrecen.

Head of Debreceni Árpád Vezér Primary School, Szabolcs Komolay, offered to host a similar sporting event every year in the future. Diána Széles also thanked the school and the organiser, the Debrecen School District, for arranging this event.

The goalball marathon was not a competition; there were no winners or prizes, but all participants received a gift.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu