Beira Salifoska, known as Beki, completed the 21-kilometer Skopje Half Marathon with the support of her guide, marking another major achievement for the blind runner from Macedonia.
Salifoska has been completely blind since birth. She took part in the half-marathon distance of the Wizz Air Skopje Marathon, completing all 21 kilometers alongside her assistant.
The achievement represented a significant step forward from her previous appearance at the event. Several years ago, Salifoska successfully completed the five-kilometer race in Skopje.
This time, she took on a distance more than four times longer.
Beira Salifoska Completes 21 Kilometers With Her Guide
The State School for Children and Youth with Visual Impairments “Dimitar Vlahov” in Skopje celebrated Salifoska’s achievement in a social media post.
“21 kilometers of courage, strength and inspiration! Today, our colleague Beira, together with her assistant, successfully ran 21 km at the Wizz Air Marathon,” the school said.
The institution highlighted the role of persistence, support and determination in reaching the milestone.
“We are proud of you, Beira! You are a true inspiration,” the school added.
Throughout the half marathon, Salifoska relied on cooperation and trust with the guide running alongside her. Together, they completed the demanding 21-kilometer course in Skopje.
Her participation also highlighted the role that appropriate support can play in making major sporting events more accessible to athletes and recreational runners with visual impairments.
From Braille Academic Milestone to Skopje Half Marathon
Salifoska’s latest achievement follows another significant milestone in her education.
According to the school, she previously became the first visually impaired person in Macedonia to defend a university thesis written in Braille.
Her completion of the Skopje Half Marathon adds a sporting achievement to that academic milestone. After previously finishing the five-kilometer event, Salifoska returned to take on the considerably longer half-marathon distance.
Completing 21 kilometers required endurance as well as close coordination with the person guiding her throughout the course.
For Salifoska, reaching the finish line marked the completion of another personal goal and another step beyond the distance she had previously covered at the Skopje Marathon.
