In a quiet car park just across the Ta’ Qali National Stadium, a group of 13 athletes are warming up before their running session on a windy and cold Wednesday night.

Their coach, ultra-triathlete Fabio Spiteri, guides them on their drills to make sure that they are well stretched and warm before they kick off their 10-kilometre run session.

Among the runners is 29-year-old Jesper Mathiesen who, like the rest of the team, is carrying out the high knee drills before embarking on the run.

Video: Karl Andrew Micallef

Like the others, he wears a warm, high-neck zip jumper to protect him from the biting wind.

But unlike the rest of his team mates, Jesper is also donning a high-visibility safety vest with the word ‘blind’ spelled out across the front and the back.

It’s not much but it’s not complete darkness- Jesper Methieson

The Danish runner was born with a serious eye condition, which left him with only five per cent of normal vision as a child, worsening as he got older.

Yet, this has not kept Jesper back from taking part in road running races and half marathons throughout the years. In 2019, he even hiked up Africa’s tallest mountain peak, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Now, he is training to run 21km in the upcoming Intersport La Valette half marathon, which will be held for the first time on April 24.

Jesper will be the first visually impaired athlete to take part in a Malta marathon race.

“I can understand that others (visually impaired persons) might find it difficult at the beginning, especially if they do not train much,” Jesper told Times of Malta.

“I also didn’t think it would be possible to run here but I thought, let me give it a try, and here I am.

“When I had a little more vision, I used to play football but now that is not possible any more. Running is a bit easier and a good way to challenge and push yourself.”

Coach: Fabio SpiteriCoach: Fabio Spiteri

Growing up, Jesper had a series of cornea operations.

“It’s not much but it’s not complete darkness,” he says of the little vision that remains.

“I can see certain shapes and contours up close, even though everything remains blurry.”

Jesper has lived in Malta since September, working as an affiliate coordinator in a gaming company.

He said he started to find it boring and repetitive running on a treadmill in a gymnasium.

“I try to run twice or three times a week. On a treadmill I can do that on my own but outside I need someone to guide me, especially because of the traffic, and the roads here are not in the best condition,” he said.

Back in Denmark, he would run on his own in the countryside or with one of his parents who would cycle beside him. He would also run and train in the city centre, along with a running mate.

At the beginning of the year, Jesper tried his luck on a popular Facebook group for expats, asking if there were any remote outdoor spaces where he could run.

Spiteri reached out to Jesper... and the rest is history.

“It’s a first for me (training someone with a visual impairment) but I took him on board... he is part of our team now,” Spiteri said.

Everyone takes it in turns to guide Jesper, to make sure he avoids any obstacles throughout the run.

A short rope or ‘tether’ connects Jesper and his running mate to guide him along the route.

“It wasn’t really hard to run with Jesper, it’s like running next to a friend,” Spiteri reckoned.

For the half marathon, Jesper’s running mate will be Tommy Wallbank, one of the youngest members on Team Fabio.

Last year, Tommy, 16, raised €10,000 for Puttinu Cares by completing a 1,000-kilometre run to commemorate his friend, Rebecca Zammit Lupi.

Jesper runs at a pace of five minutes per kilometre, which the Dane describes as average.

He gave a warm shoutout to his parents, who he said deserve an “honour” for raising him the same way as they did with his sister.

“Family and friends always expected that I could participate with them, so when you have that impression and support, it helps push you more and be part of the community,” Jesper said.

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