Български
BeActiveTogether
Adapted start #BeActiveTogether at Sofia 1K Run
04.10.2026
On October 4th, 2026, the center of Sofia became a stage for sport, emotion, and genuine inclusion. Fifty athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities kicked off the first edition of the Sofia 1K Run by taking part in the event’s special adapted start. The Sofia 1K Run was organized by the Darko Team Athletics School with the support of Sofia Municipality, while the adapted start was implemented in partnership with Bulgarian sports development association (BSDA).
Nearly 600 athletes took part in the various starts of the Sofia 1K Run, 50 of whom are people who face challenges that are different from those faced by most of us. Thus, nearly 9% of all participants in the event were athletes with disabilities – a proportion almost identical to that of Bulgarian society, where approximately 10% of the population has a recognized degree of disability. This made their participation in the Sofia 1K Run more than just a symbolic presence: it represented genuine inclusion through sport, bringing the diversity on the starting line closer to the diversity found in society as a whole.
The adapted start covered a distance of 500 meters, with each participant able to complete the course according to their individual abilities – by running, walking, or with the support of an accompanying person. There was one goal: for everyone to stand on the same starting line and reach the finish line together. The adapted start brought together athletes from various sports clubs, organizations, and social services from Sofia and across the country, including SC Adapted Sports, Together We Can, SC Iskar – Pancharevo, SC BG and Sport for All, SC SEN Sport Sambo for Development, ParaKids, the Day Center for Adults with Disabilities – Pernik, SC United Sport for All, the St. Marina Day Center for Adults with Disabilities – Sofia, and the Hristo Botev Family-Type Residential Center for Children and Young People with Disabilities.
A key role in organizing the adapted start was also played by the Adapted Physical Activity and Sport Sector at the National Sports Academy “Vasil Levski,” which, through its consistent work over the years, has been training professionals in the field of adapted physical activity and sport. Dozens of volunteers also contributed to the event, without whose support it would not have been possible. Among them were numerous participants in popular Bulgarian reality shows such as Desafio and The Bachelor. Gizem Mazlumova has successfully brought them together around the cause of inclusive sport, turning them into an increasingly strong community of its ambassadors.
The event also promoted the #BeActiveTogether initiative, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The initiative demonstrates how sport can be a powerful tool for social inclusion, empowerment, and active participation in society, creating opportunities for everyone, including people with intellectual disabilities, to be active, accepted, and an integral part of the community.
The adapted start covered a distance of 500 meters, with each participant able to complete the course according to their individual abilities – by running, walking, or with the support of an accompanying person. There was one goal: for everyone to stand on the same starting line and reach the finish line together. The adapted start brought together athletes from various sports clubs, organizations, and social services from Sofia and across the country, including SC Adapted Sports, Together We Can, SC Iskar – Pancharevo, SC BG and Sport for All, SC SEN Sport Sambo for Development, ParaKids, the Day Center for Adults with Disabilities – Pernik, SC United Sport for All, the St. Marina Day Center for Adults with Disabilities – Sofia, and the Hristo Botev Family-Type Residential Center for Children and Young People with Disabilities.
A key role in organizing the adapted start was also played by the Adapted Physical Activity and Sport Sector at the National Sports Academy “Vasil Levski,” which, through its consistent work over the years, has been training professionals in the field of adapted physical activity and sport. Dozens of volunteers also contributed to the event, without whose support it would not have been possible. Among them were numerous participants in popular Bulgarian reality shows such as Desafio and The Bachelor. Gizem Mazlumova has successfully brought them together around the cause of inclusive sport, turning them into an increasingly strong community of its ambassadors.
The event also promoted the #BeActiveTogether initiative, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The initiative demonstrates how sport can be a powerful tool for social inclusion, empowerment, and active participation in society, creating opportunities for everyone, including people with intellectual disabilities, to be active, accepted, and an integral part of the community.
