The sun has set on the first-ever World Abilitysport Beach Games, marking an historic milestone for the Paralympic Movement. Held along the Mediterranean shores of Mersin in partnership with Local Organisers, the National Paralympic Committee of Türkiye, the Games celebrated inclusion and innovation with bold ambitions to bring Para sport out of the sports halls and courts and to the people.

Participants from 22 countries from 5 continents arrived in Mersin for four days of competition in a 7-sport programme of beach, aquatic and open-air sports including Beach ParaVolley, Adaptive Sepak Takraw, Para Inclusive Sailing, Para Laser Run, Para AirBadminton and Para Powerlifting.

The Games were an event of firsts – from the first ever Para AirBadminton international to the first outdoor Para powerlifting event – these Games made history. Also making history were Oman, Bahrain and Laos who made their World Abilitysport debut in Mersin.

Para Inclusive Sailing Thrill in Mersin Marina

Eighteen sailors from nine nations — Bahrain, Estonia, France, Hong Kong China, Italy, Oman, Thailand, Türkiye, Great Britain — raced over four days out of the beautiful Mersin Marina. After a calm start, strong southerlies on the final day delivered thrilling finishes and a full eight-race series in the 12-strong Hansa 303 fleet sourced for the Games.

Great Britain’s Rory McKinna clinched Gold in the male event, ahead of Yuen Wai Foo (HKG) and Davide Di Maria (ITA). In the Female fleet, Büşra Nur Çelik (TUR) surged past teammate Miray Ulaş (TUR) on the final day to take Gold, with Coline Robert (FRA) earning Bronze.

World Abilitysport President, Rudi Van den Abbeele and Türkiye Paralympic Committee President Dr. Murat Aksu joined the sailors on the water, with Rudi Van den Abbeele even taking the helm alongside British gold medallist, Rory McKinna.

Skies the Limit for Adaptive Sepak Takraw

If the goal of the Games was to wow the people of Mersin, then Adaptive Sepak Takraw did exactly that. Centrally located in the Babil Sport Area, the sport attracted crowds eager to see the athletes in action over four days of training and competition.

Indonesia bagged the gold in the Arm category with a 2:0 win over Thailand but the squad, who entered the Games as favourites, came back fighting in the Mixed 1 final securing the gold with 15:13 and 15:9 sets against Indonesia.

The first tri-nation international was supported by the International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF) who donated nets and balls to interested countries in an effort to promote the development of the sport in new nations.

Poland Dominate on Pompei Beach

Poland confirmed their dominance on the sand, storming to a second consecutive world title with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-10) victory over Latvia in the 2025 WPV Beach ParaVolley World Championships gold medal match at Pompei Beach.

Dariusz Cegielka, Filip Gaca and Artur Wasowicz were untouchable throughout, sealing back-to-back crowns after their 2024 triumph. The USA made history with their first-ever World Championships medal, as Abram Gornik, Andrew Nation and Kyler Carl Moore rallied past Kazakhstan 2-1 to claim bronze.

Para Laser Run Light Up Fenerbahçe Square

Athletes from Egypt, France, Great Britain, Türkiye and Ukraine took to the city’s infamous Fenerbahçe Square in an energetic showcase of this dynamic sport. With the race section of the route held along Mersin’s busy promenade, race days attracted the city’s spectators.

In competition, Hanin Elkhouly and Youssef Farag took the F/M PMP1 title while Sama Mahmoud with Abdulrhman Shabib owned F/M PMP5. Hagar Elkhouly paired with Abdelhamid Abdelhamid to win F/M PMP2, while Mohammed Elsayed and Moamen Abbas closed out M/M PMP3.

Türkiye found its own gold rush in the men’s ranks—Osman Yüksel and Semih Özyurt struck early in M/M PMP5W—before a crowd-pleasing alliance saw Emre Sayan (TUR) and Vadym Fedorenko (UKR) raced to the M/M PMP5 title ahead of a second Ukrainian duo. A two-nation flourish came in the open category, where Rachel Massey (GBR) and Fatih Göçmen (TUR) combined for gold.

Powerlifters raise the bar in a Mediterranean postcard

The city’s amphitheatre, hosted powerlifters from eight countries to lift against the backdrop of the Mediterranean. France flexed across the heavier classes with Yoan Lamart (80 kg), Tom Couaillier (88 kg) and Gregory Schreder (107 kg) securing a clean sweep of gold with Costa Rica’s Jose Murillo lifting to gold in the 97kg category.

Fired up from World Championship gold in Cairo, Türkiye’s Besra Duman added a Beach Games gold to her collection with a 115kg lift in the up 55kg category. Ozlem Kurt (50kg), Cagdas Kaya (59kg) Serkan Cakmaz (54kg) also thrilled with winning performances on home soil for the first time.

There was 1kg between gold and silver in the 61kg category with Estonia’s Jelena Pipper lifting 63kg for silver while a 64kg lift from Kazakhstan’s Valeriya Degtyareva secured her the gold.

Kenya’s Joash Obende lifted 114kg for gold in the 65kg category with Games debut country Bahrain saw a flurry of gold courtesy of Amal ALI (45kg) and Husain SAWAR (72kg). UAE’s Mansour Almarzooqi made his mark on the medal table with a last lift of 78kg bagging the gold in the 49kg category.

 Three Continents Raise their Rackets on Pompei Beach

Kenya owned Para AirBadminton from first serve to last. Their Mixed Triples squad out-played Türkiye’s second team in the final, then doubled down in the Team Relay—clinching gold over Türkiye’s top line-up in a thriller decided by razor-thin margins on the score sheets.

With the hosts sweeping the remaining podium places, the discipline delivered a three continent competition full of energy and spirit that ensured this first Para AirBadminton competition would not be the last.

 Para Surfing Makes Waves at Sport Expo

In a milestone collaboration between World Abilitysport, International Surfing Association, NPC Türkiye and the Turkish Sailing/Surfing Federation, Para Surfing made their Games debut as a Sport Expo. Dr Mo Johnson, ISA Head of Classification presented a summary of the sport to Team Manager’s ahead of the have-a-go sessions the following two days. Athletes from Kenya, to USA, France to Hong Kong, China, took to the waves with the support of Dr Mo alongside Emre Saglam and Akil Kose of Hatay Surf.

World Abilitysport President, Rudi Van den Abbeele and NPC Türkiye President, Murat Aksu also embraced the opportunity taking to the waves of Pompei Beach in an exciting show of support for the Sport Expo.

A Legacy in Motion

As the waves settled and the last cheers faded along the shores of Mersin, the inaugural World Abilitysport Beach Games leave behind more than medals—they leave a milestone moment in the Paralympic Movement. Over four days of competition, camaraderie and mind-blowing performance, athletes proved that Para sport belongs not only in arenas but in the heart of communities, open to all. From the sands of Pompei Beach to the sails on Mersin Marina, the Games showcased innovation, inclusion and the spirit of possibility and as the sun sets on Mersin’s historic Games debut, they stand as a defining step forward for the Paralympic Movement—bringing Para sport closer to the people and the foundations are strong for future editions around the world.