Tatyana McFadden may be the closest person to an actual superhero whom this column will cover. Many refer to her as the fastest woman in the world, and she certainly has the accolades to support it.
The wheelchair racer became the first ever to win major marathons in Boston, London, New York and Chicago all in the same year (2013), and she then repeated this Grand Slam in 2014, 2015 and 2016. She has also won 17 Paralympic medals –– one of which is actually a 2014 Winter Paralympic silver medal in cross-country skiing –– since she made her debut as the youngest member of the United States 2004 Paralympic Team. Her success across two vastly different disciplines speaks volumes about her willingness to challenge herself. Not many world-class athletes have the skills or ambition to qualify in multiple sports, much less reach the podium, but Tatyana McFadden made this feat look easy. Now she’s searching for gold again as she trains for the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games.
It's worth noting that before McFadden represented Team USA, her journey started in a Russian orphanage. She was born in 1989 with spina bifida, a spinal defect, which left her paralyzed from the waist down. The orphanage was unable to provide her with a wheelchair, so McFadden learned to walk on her hands –– likely developing some of the physical strength and mental resilience to become the fierce competitor that she is today.
After moving to Maryland with her adoptive mother, Deborah McFadden, Tatyana McFadden tried her hand at hockey, basketball and swimming among a handful of sports. While many athletes may “live to play,” McFadden played to live. Her doctor explained to Deborah McFadden that Tatyana McFadden’s insufficient access to medical care in the first years of her life would cause her to have a short lifespan. In hopes of defying those expectations, Deborah McFadden enrolled her in various activities to help build her strength.
Then, when she fell in love with wheelchair racing as a high school athlete, she faced yet another obstacle. She wasn’t allowed to race among her peers. Instead, athletic directors forced her to race alone at each meet. So, at the age of 15, Tatyana McFadden successfully sued for her and all other para-athletes to have the right to equally compete in high school athletics with dignity and respect.
Considering her accomplishments both on and off the track, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that McFadden is one of the most remarkable and prolific athletes there are. She absolutely dominates competitions of speed, stamina and endurance. What is likely most impressive, though, is her vision: It’s clear watching her race that she always knows exactly when to pull ahead of her competitors, and she also has the strength to pull it off. She is so incredibly disciplined in her training regimen and efforts; it’s apparent that she digs deep for every inch of distance she covers, and it’s mesmerizing to watch.
In retrospect, McFadden did more than just defy the odds; she absolutely crushed them.
