Social Goal co-founder Tom Bevan will run the Melbourne’s Marathon’s half-marathon in October blindfolded to raise awareness of disability in sport

A BLINDFOLDED man and another runner, who have been jogging around Albion while strapped together, are a dynamic duo with some rather unique training methods.

Albion resident David Connolly and his friend, Newport resident Tom Bevan, have been preparing to enter the Melbourne Marathon’s half-marathon on October 12.

During the 21km race, Mr Connolly will be leading the blindfolded Mr Bevan along with a tether to keep them joined. The pair have been practising at Selwyn Park with a blindfold and tether before the half-marathon, in which they will be accompanied by about 30 other runners to raise awareness of disability in sport.

They will also be raising funds to create participation opportunities for adults with vision impairment to play Blind Football (soccer).

Mr Connolly and Mr Bevan are co-founders of the Social Goal, which has joined forces with Blind Sports Victoria to establish the Blind and Vision Impaired Football Project.

“People are always intrigued about these two guys strapped together and one with a blindfold,” Mr Connolly said.

“It’s an important part of raising disability awareness and we are only too happy to stop and chat to people about what we are doing.

“Tom puts a lot of trust in me leading him in the right direction, only on a couple of occasions have I forgotten to mention a curb or crack in the pavement.”

Mr Connolly said Social Goal has already established a junior vision impaired football program in Melbourne’s north and were about to start an adult Blind Football skill development program at the Docklands.

“These projects are the first of their kind in Australia,” he said.

“Together we want to rewrite the story of disability and sport in Australia.”

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