Toronto runner overcomes travel ban and completes Boston marathon

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In February we reported a story about Iranian immigrant and Canadian permanent resident Soroush Hatami, 38, who qualified for and was accepted into the 2018 Boston Marathon, but would have been prevented from entering the U.S. under Trump’s most recent travel ban. Hatami, who runs an audiology clinic in Toronto, successfully became a Canadian citizen on March 2, received his Canadian passport in time to travel to Boston, and ran a strong marathon, finishing in 2:57:48.

RELATED: Toronto runner in jeopardy of missing Boston due to Trump’s travel ban

“It’s been a special week for me,” Hatami said via phone from Boston on Wednesday, where he is still recovering before flying back to Toronto.

Back in December, after Hatami was accepted into Boston, fellow runner and running club Marathon Dynamics member Daniel Sellers took up his cause, and together they created Banned on the Run to raise funds for others trying to fight the ban. The two ran most of the race together, with Hatami surging ahead near the end. 

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As for the race itself, he summed it up as “horrible” – referring to the weather and its effect on runners, with most people soaked and freezing before the race even began – but praised the volunteers and the spectators lining the course as being the highlights of what was a very difficult race for many. “The crowds were so loud, and they kept people moving who were tempted to give up,” Hatami says. “I’ve never experienced anything like it. They knew just what to say to encourage people.”

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Once he was finished, Hatami’s main goal was to eat some carbohydrate and change into dry clothes, but his hands were so cold he could not even open a Clif bar. “It took me two or three minutes just to peel a banana. A volunteer helped me change my clothes.”

Regarding the travel ban, Hatami will be keeping an eye on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on April 25, but emphasizes that the fight is not over. “I’m so happy I became an endurance runner and that I did this race,” he says. “But there are many bigger issues than running a marathon. There are a lot of devastating stories over this travel ban. I am hoping someone comes forward to carry the torch.”

Hatami expressed gratitude to everyone who helped him achieve his goal, and especially the community of runners whose support buoyed him as he waited anxiously for his case to be processed.