Pandemic fails to dampen determination of blind Jordanian long-distance runner

AMMAN — Despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Hasan Tayem is determined to pursue his dream of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Paralympics as a blind long-distance runner.

The 23-year-old Jordanian has been running since he was in high school. As a member of the school team he competed in marathons in Amman.

Tayem told The Jordan Times how the pandemic has impacted his training, as he was unable to train for months during the lockdown last year, which was a major setback. Nevertheless, he eventually managed to adapt to the circumstances and adjusted his training according to the new reality.

“It did not stop me,” Tayem said, referring to the lockdown during which most marathons were cancelled in Jordan.

“I began training for long-distance marathons five years ago. My first race was Amman marathon which was a 10km distance and I was fortunate to finish in the first place, which inspired me to continue in this sport and led me to start competing professionally both nationally and internationally,” Tayem said.

“I got second place overall in a marathon I ran in Malaysia where there was not a separate category for people with disabilities. It made me feel proud of myself and accomplished,” Tayem said.

Tayem will be participating in the 2024 Summer Paralympics, commonly known as Paris 2024, which is an upcoming major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities.

 “I was fortunate to find a good private sponsor for the Paralympic Games, which will allow me to train well for the next three years and be ready to represent Jordan in the competitions,” he said.

Tayem expressed his hope to participate in The World Marathon Challenge, which is a logistical and physical challenge to run seven marathons on seven continents in seven  days. 

As a recent graduate from the University of Jordan, Tayem is currently working full-time with UNICEF.

“I had always volunteered within the community and with many NGOs. I also had an e-commerce trading business of my own. In the future, I want to get a master’s degree in international relations.”