Tatyana McFadden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tatyana McFadden

Tatyana McFadden in London 2012
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Tatty
Nationality	United States
Born	(1989-04-21) April 21, 1989 (age 36) Leningrad, RSFSR, Soviet Union
Sport
Sport	Wheelchair Track and Field
College team	University of Illinois Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Track and Field teams
Medal record Women's Track and field (T54) Representing  United States Paralympic Games Gold 2016 Rio 400m – T54 Gold 2016 Rio 800m – T54 Gold 2016 Rio 1500m – T54 Gold 2016 Rio 5000m – T54 Gold 2012 London 400m – T54 Gold 2012 London 800m – T54 Gold 2012 London 1500m – T54 Gold 2020 Tokyo mixed 4 × 100 m relay Silver 2004 Athens 100m – T54 Silver 2008 Beijing 200m – T54 Silver 2008 Beijing 400m – T54 Silver 2008 Beijing 800m – T54 Silver 2016 Rio 100m – T54 Silver 2016 Rio Marathon – T54 Silver 2020 Tokyo 800m – T54 Silver 2024 Paris 100m – T54 Bronze 2004 Athens 200m – T54 Bronze 2008 Beijing 4 × 100 m – T53–54 Bronze 2012 London 100m – T54 Bronze 2020 Tokyo 5000 m T54 Bronze 2024 Paris mixed 4×100 m relay World Championships Gold 2006 Assen 100m – T54 Gold 2011 Christchurch 200m – T54 Gold 2011 Christchurch 400m – T54 Gold 2011 Christchurch 800m – T54 Gold 2011 Christchurch 1500m – T54 Gold 2013 Lyon 100m – T54 Gold 2013 Lyon 200m – T54 Gold 2013 Lyon 400m – T54 Gold 2013 Lyon 800m – T54 Gold 2013 Lyon 1500m – T54 Gold 2013 Lyon 5000m – T54 Gold 2017 London 200m – T54 Gold 2017 London 1500m – T54 Silver 2006 Assen 200m – T54 Silver 2006 Assen 400m – T54 Silver 2011 Christchurch 4 × 400 m – T53–54 Silver 2023 Paris 400m – T54 Bronze 2011 Christchurch 100m – T54 Bronze 2023 Paris 100m – T54 Bronze 2023 Paris 800m – T54 New York City Marathon Gold 2010 New York City Marathon Bronze 2011 New York City Marathon Gold 2013 New York City Marathon Gold 2014 New York City Marathon Gold 2015 New York City Marathon Gold 2016 New York City Marathon Silver 2017 New York City Marathon Silver 2018 New York City Marathon Silver 2019 New York City Marathon Silver 2021 New York City Marathon Women's Paralympic cross-country skiing (Sitting) Representing  United States Paralympic Games Silver 2014 Sochi 1km Sprint

Tatyana McFadden (born April 21, 1989) is an amazing American Paralympic athlete. She competes in track and field events using a wheelchair. Tatyana has won many medals at the Paralympic Games. She also won the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award in 2015.

Tatyana's Early Life

Tatyana McFadden was born in Leningrad, which was part of the Soviet Union, on April 21, 1989. She was born with a condition called spina bifida. This condition meant she could not move her legs.

Tatyana spent her first six years in an orphanage. It was very poor and could not afford a wheelchair for her. So, she learned to walk using her hands. Doctors thought she might not live long because she was so sick.

While at the orphanage, Tatyana met Deborah McFadden. Deborah was visiting Russia to help people with disabilities. Deborah and her partner adopted Tatyana. They brought her to live in Baltimore, USA.

Becoming an Athlete

When Tatyana was growing up, she tried many sports. This helped her to make her muscles stronger. She tried swimming, gymnastics, wheelchair basketball, and sled hockey. She also started track and field.

Tatyana went to the University of Illinois. There, she studied Human Development and Family Studies. She also played on the university's wheelchair basketball team. Her coach at the University of Illinois was Adam Bleakney. He was also a wheelchair racer.

Racing to Success

Tatyana started racing when she was eight years old. She competed in her first Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece, in 2004. There, she won a silver medal in the 100-meter race. She also won a bronze medal in the 200-meter race.

At the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, she won three silver medals. These were for the 200-meter, 400-meter, and 800-meter races. She also won a bronze medal in a relay race.

In 2009, Tatyana tried a marathon for fun. She entered the Chicago Marathon and won! This was the start of many marathon victories for her. She won in New York City, Chicago, London, and Boston.

A special moment happened at the London 2012 Paralympics. Tatyana and her sister, Hannah, both competed in the same 100-meter final.

Making History in Marathons

In 2013, Tatyana made history. She won six gold medals at the World Championships in Lyon. She won every race from 100 meters to 5,000 meters!

That same year, she also won the Boston, Chicago, London, and New York City marathons. This made her the first person ever to win all four major marathons in the same year. This amazing achievement is sometimes called the "Grand Slam" of marathons. She also set a new record for the Chicago Marathon.

In 2014, Tatyana went back to Russia, where she was born. She competed in the Winter Paralympics in Sochi. She won a silver medal in cross-country skiing. She was very happy to win a medal in front of her birth family. After Sochi, she returned to racing and won the London Marathon again.

Tatyana continued to win many races. In 2015, she won the New York City Marathon. She broke the course record by more than seven minutes! She also won the Boston and London Marathons in 2016.

Fighting for Fairness

Tatyana faced challenges when she raced in high school. Her school would not let her race at the same time as other runners. They said her racing chair was a safety risk. They also thought it gave her an unfair advantage.

This meant Tatyana had to race alone on an empty track. This made her feel embarrassed. So, in 2005, Tatyana and her mother, Deborah, took legal action. They wanted Tatyana to be able to race with other students.

They won their case in 2006. This meant Tatyana could race at the same time as other runners. Her fight helped create a new law in Maryland. This law is called the Maryland Fitness and Athletics Equity for Students with Disabilities Act. It is also known as Tatyana's Law. This law made Maryland the first state to require schools to offer equal sports chances for students with disabilities.

Tatyana also worked to stop a Russian law. This law would have prevented American parents from adopting Russian children.

Images for kids

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  The women's wheelchair race at the 2011 London marathon (left to right: Sandra Graf, Shelly Woods, Tatyana McFadden, Amanda McGrory).

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  New York City Marathon 2011

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  Tatyana McFadden near halfway point of Boston Marathon 2018 in which she got first place.

See also

In Spanish: Tatyana McFadden para niños