Visually impaired in for the long run

Seven visually impaired students took to the streets this week to train for a marathon next year.

Two blind and five partially sighted students will take part in the annual 10km Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon on February 8, guided by seven staff members at Ebenezer School in Pok Fu Lam.

The school's senior orientation and mobility instructor, Ben Fong Tin-tai, who is an experienced marathon runner, said training began last month with students running at least once a week.

'The greatest challenges for them are the ability to sustain the physical test and the ability to trust their guiding partners,' Mr Fong said.

Andy Chui Man-chun, 18, who is blind and studying in Form Two at the Church of Christ in China Kwei Wah Shan College in North Point, said taking part in the run was 'about having faith'.

'The trick is for us to be able to trust the guiding partner,' he said. Terry Lam Wing-shun, 17, a Form Three student at the Pok Fu Lam school who lost his sight at the age of four, said he had liked running since he was a young boy. He said he relied on his hearing.