Breaking Down Barriers for Runners With Disabilities

Editor’s note: Completing a marathon is a huge achievement for anyone. For those living with disabilities, it might seem impossible. But “the TCS Sydney Marathon is a celebration of resilience, community and the power of inclusion, where people of all abilities can become marathon runners and the biggest achievement is just taking part,” community ambassador Tara Meakins writes.

This is the final feature in Tempo Journal’s five-part look at some of the dozen community ambassadors who were the beating heart of Sydney 2025. Read the first, second, third and fourth articles in the series.

While many runners live for race day PBs and podium finishes, a marathon is proof that success doesn’t just lie in times posted on the internet. For many runners, tackling 42.2km represents the accomplishment of something they might have once thought was impossible.

At the heart of the TCS Sydney Marathon is a celebration of resilience, community and the power of inclusion, where people of all abilities can become marathon runners and the biggest achievement might be just taking part. Championing inclusivity and proudly welcoming every type of runner – from first-timers to professional athletes, wheelchair users to vision-impaired runners – is what the Sydney Marathon does best.

“The TCS Sydney Marathon is about more than just race times and elite performances – it’s about community,” says Ben Lucas, head coach at the TCS Sydney Marathon. “It’s about showing that running, movement and achievement belong to everyone, no matter their background or personal challenges.”

It’s this sense of determination and diversity that make the event so much more than just a race, but a movement toward greater accessibility and belonging in sport.

“When someone who’s overcome unique hurdles crosses the same finish line as the world’s best, it reminds us all what this sport is truly about,” Ben remarks. “Showing up, pushing limits and celebrating every individual’s journey.”

Someone who has faced their own challenges is Ash Saba, one of the 2025 Sydney Marathon’s community ambassadors. After being born 15 weeks early, which left him with scarring on his lungs and partly deaf in one ear, Ash was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 14. “[The epileptic seizures] were mild ones, like I would just stare off into space,” he says, “but they were happening like every second.”

While Ash, now 40, says he’s “lucky” that his seizures aren’t that bad, his condition has left him unable to drive or even work. Then, six years ago, his life changed. “I started running in September 2019,” he explains. “My neighbour told me I should give it a go, so I did and just kept going. I started running every day and then decided to try a half marathon. I ended up loving it.”

Having caught the running bug, Ash decided he was ready to step up to 42.2km. “After doing a few half marathons, I wanted to see if I could handle a full one,” he says ahead of the 2025 event. “So I signed up for the Sydney Marathon in 2023. I’ve done four marathons now, and I’ve run Sydney twice. I’m really looking forward to doing it again this year, especially now that it’s a World Marathon Major.”

On Sunday 31 August, Ash successfully ticked off his first major. He even scored a photo of himself alongside marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge afterwards.

Without the opportunity to build workplace relationships, Ash says the running community has become especially important to him.

“I’ve made a lot of good friends since joining the Sydney Marathon Run Club,” he explains, adding that the Sydney Marathon has made him feel welcome and seen. “Everyone is so friendly and supportive, and it really feels like a place where anyone can belong, no matter where you’re from or what your background is.”

Ash, who never thought he’d be a runner let alone a marathon runner, adds that he feels very lucky to have been selected as a Sydney Marathon community ambassador. “I never thought that would happen,” he admits.

Ben says the team behind the Sydney Marathon worked hard this year to make the event feel welcoming and accessible to all. “A great example of that is bringing Ash on as a community ambassador,” he explains. “His passion and energy have been incredibly inspiring. Not just for people facing additional challenges, but for anyone who’s ever doubted whether running is for them.”

Ben adds that Ash’s energy, positivity and sheer love of the sport have also had a huge impact on the running community. “What I admire most is that when Ash shows up, it’s never about limitations,” he insists. “It’s about joy, connection and being part of something bigger. Ash represents everything we want this event to stand for: inclusivity, spirit and the power of showing up exactly as you are.”

From updating course access to sharing more diverse stories and ensuring that pacers are there to support everyone on the field, Ben says they’re committed to driving inclusivity. “If someone wants to be a part of the Sydney Marathon, we want to make sure they feel like they truly belong,” he says.

Not everyone at a marathon start line is there to chase their own thrilling finish however. Some run 42.2km simply to help others reach theirs.

Enrique Suana, another 2025 Sydney Marathon community ambassador, is one of them. Since 2007, he’s run 53 marathons and eight ultra marathons, among many other events, making a name for himself among the Australian running community. Despite his impressive track record, he says the most meaningful chapter of his running journey has been volunteering as a guide runner for Achilles, a global running group that supports people with disabilities to participate in running events.

“I quickly realised that I was never going to be – and never wanted to be – an elite athlete, and that my calling was to get involved in the community from an advocacy and support point of view, to champion running through involvement in run clubs such as Achilles,” he explains.

“Giving back to this great sport which has given me so much has been one of my life’s biggest privileges.”

Since 2012, Enrique has been helping runners with various levels of vision impairment to achieve their goals in events ranging from 5K races to marathons.

“Blindness is often oversimplified as simply seeing darkness, but the reality is complex,” he explains. “As a guide, it’s essential to understand each athlete’s unique needs, including their specific visual impairment and required level of support. Ultimately, as a guide, my role is to support the athlete – putting my own personal aspirations aside and recognising that it's their race, not mine.”

Enrique says it means you end up wearing a lot of hats. “You’re a pacer, you’re a motivator, you grab drinks, you dispense medication if needed, and you make others aware of your athlete with disabilities," he says. “It’s a lot of work but extremely fulfilling.”

It was in 2016 that Enrique first ran the Sydney Marathon with an Achilles runner in what he describes as one of his “running life’s highlights”.

“I trained and guided Achilles Sydney athlete Stephen Green, quite a stalwart in the Sydney running community for his bucket hat,” Enrique says in reference to Stephen’s trademark headwear. “We completed the marathon in four hours and 16 minutes, with Stephen qualifying for his second Boston Marathon in a row.”

In 2017, Enrique volunteered again at the Sydney Marathon, this time co-guiding an athlete from Achilles Melbourne.

“Achilles and the Sydney Marathon have had an ongoing, proud tradition of working together to allow athletes with a disability to partake in this great event,” he explains. ”In 2025, with the Sydney Marathon becoming a World Marathon Major, there's been a lot of interest from Achilles International, thanks to Sydney being so welcoming, inclusive and helpful.”

This year’s Sydney Marathon was the 12th that Enrique has lined up for. While he didn't pace an Achilles member this time around, he volunteered as a pacer for the 3:45 group. “The prospect of this being the first edition of the seventh World Marathon Major is simply electrifying,” he says when we caught up ahead of the race. “Sydney will be in the global spotlight with so many different people from all walks of life coming together to do what we love and share that 42km journey.”

He hopes that putting Sydney on the global stage will increase interest in the event and encourage more people to volunteer for those in need. “Achilles is always looking for athletes of all abilities to help guide athletes at various paces,” he explains. “Additionally, if you know anyone with a disability who may want to get involved in a non-competitive and inclusive environment, please reach out to your local Achilles chapter.”

For the community ambassador, volunteering for Achilles at the Sydney Marathon was one of the most rewarding things he’s done in 18 years of running. “Being able to help somebody partake in a running event is wonderful,” he says. “Running can be a very selfish sport, but being a guide means putting your personal goals and aspirations aside to help someone achieve their dream. For me that’s peak fulfilment.”