Visually-impaired Sagar Baheti finishes Boston Marathon

Boston, April 18 

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Fighting all odds due to a genetic disorder that causes progressive loss of vision, Sagar Baheti of Bengaluru has achieved a rare distinction of finishing his race at the prestigious Boston Marathon in the visually impaired category.

Baheti, 31, qualified for the Boston Marathon in the visually impaired category and finished the race at the 18th spot. He covered the 42.195 km distance in 4 hours, 14 minutes and 7 seconds to become the first Indian to compete and finish in the visually impaired category yesterday.

More than 30,000 runners took part in Boston Marathon, one of the oldest and most prestigious events in the world. Besides elite race (men and women), there were categories of visually-impaired, mobility-impaired, wheelchair and handcycle runners.

Running with Bib Number 26652, Baheti crossed the finish line holding the Indian tricolour up in the air. His parents were there to cheer him. He is being supported by the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Baheti ran with sighted guides. A Boston-based former college friend acted as one such guide. Normally, a visually-impaired runner is allowed to use two guides, one at a time, one from start to halfway mark and the other the second half till the end. — Reuters