Michael Smith was diagnosed six years ago with a rare condition called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, which tragically leads to a loss in vision, and stops relaying vital information from the eyes to the brain.
What was worse, twin brother Daniel suffered from the very same illness, and both lost their sight within months of each other while studying at University.
Now aged 23, Michael only has seven per cent vision remaining, and is on the brink of running the world’s biggest marathon.
Michael, who hails from Barnet, North London, only took up running seriously when he started to lose his sight. He used the exercise as coping mechanism, with the help of his guide, Ali.
“It was my entry back into sports and it rebuilt my confidence in navigation,” said Michael. “Before losing my sight I had undertaken some endurance cycling, so I knew my body was built for long-distance sport.
“It was therefore a natural progression for me to want to run a marathon. The goal of running a marathon as a visually impaired athlete kept me motivated and made me enjoy running even more.”
Michael will also be running the 26.2 miles in aid of the Royal London Society for Blind People. He added, “In the running community, the New York City Marathon is widely known as one of the most atmospheric marathons in the world.
The thrill of running through one of the world’s greatest cities with hundreds of thousands of people cheering you on is amazing. It has been a huge ambition of mine since taking up running to run this marathon.”
All of this, though, would likely not be possible without the help of Sports Tours International and his brother Daniel. Brendon Fox, of Sports Tours International, said, “Michael’s story and bravery is an inspiration to us all and we would like to wish him the best of luck in the race and raising money for a charity so close to his heart.”
