Tatyana McFadden just won the Boston Marathon for wheelchair racing. This was her fourth victory with a time of 1:42:16. As she told People Magazine,
“It was tough and there was a headwind. I’m exhausted, but crossing the finish line definitely felt amazing. The crowd was really electric and helped carry all of us when we were tired and beaten down.”
Her win, however, is less impressive than her life story. Born with sina bifida, she spent the first six years of her life scooting around on her hands since the Russian orphanage where she lived had no wheelchairs. She wasn’t expected to survive, but she was adopted by two American women who nursed her to health and watched her become an incredible athlete.
She is the first person to ever win all four of the world’s major wheelchair racing marathons, having scooped wins in London, Boston, Chicago and New York. At the Paralympics in Rio, she will be competing in seven track and field events.
