The Pt Brunei Marathon will be held on December 11, 2005. Among the many marathon enthusiasts taking part, is Noralizulrainee Ali Yusop, a visually impaired university student in Brunei.

Both Noralizulrainee and Henry Lu will be taking part in the 21 Kilometres category. Being visually impaired does not stop Noralizulrainee from undergoing training three to four times a week.

The pair use a foot-long tether held firmly in their hands, which is a common technique used to guide the visually impaired during running. Henry also provides verbal cues on matters such as upcoming hills, turns, curbs and uneven footing.

“Through this initiative, we will be able to make a lasting difference to the lives of the visually-impaired community. I also want to prove to myself and others that being blind is not obstacle,” said Noralizulrainee.

Apart from being the Vice-President of the local Brunei Darussalam National Association for the Blind (B.D.N.A.B), Noralizulrainee is also a part-time employee of Standard Chartered Bank (S.C.B), and Henry is a work colleague. As a local ambassador for S.C.B’s ‘Seeing is Believing’ initiative, Noralizulrainee aims to raise funds for the visually impaired through this marathon meet.