Tatyana McFadden: age, husband, Tokyo 2020, medals, disability, profiles, worth
Most sports have a constant, almost heated debate about who is its overall best player. Football has Messi and Ronaldo, and basketball has Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. However, when it comes to Paralympic racing, there is only one undisputed champion; her name is Tatyana McFadden.
Source: Getty Images
Tatyana McFadden is the embodiment of the Greatest of All Time (GOAT). She is an athlete with a disability but has not let this hinder her rise to fame. Tatyana cuts an iconic figure whenever she rolls her wheelchair down the racing track and into the finish line.
Tatyana McFadden's profile summary
- Birth name: Tatyana McFadden
- Nickname: Tatyana and The Beast
- Birthday: 21st of April, 1989
- Age: 32 years old
- Profession: Paralympic athlete (Track and Field)
- Teams: United States of America Paralympic Team and the University of Illinois
- Famous for: Being the only person to have won four World Major Marathons in one year (2013) and repeated the feat three times in a row
- Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Russia
- Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Nationality: Russian-American
- Current residence: Champaign, Illinois, United States of America
- Zodiac sign: Taurus
- Height: 5 feet and 3 inches (160 centimetres)
- Weight: 49 kilograms (approximately)
- Body build: Athletic
- Adoptive parents: Deborah McFadden and Bridget O’Shaughnessey
- Biological mother: Nina Polevikova
- Siblings: Hannah and Ruthie
- Marital status: single
- Boyfriend: Unknown
- Education: Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland, and University of Illinois
- Degrees: High School diploma (2008), Bachelors of Sciences degree in Human Development and Family Studies (2013), and Masters degree in Education (2018)
Early life
Tatyana McFadden's age is 32 years. She was born on the 21st of April, 1989, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She had an unfortunate childhood. The athlete's biological mother, Nina Polevikova, abandoned her at an orphanage because of her disability from birth.
What is Tatyana McFadden's disability?
Her disability is known as Spina Bifida. This disability means that the athlete could not move any part of her body from the waist downwards. The incapacity is caused by a hole present in the spinal cord from birth.
Source: Getty Images
Tatyana’s first six years at the orphanage was hellish, to say the least. She learned to walk on her hands because the facility could not afford a wheelchair and she had no one to help. However, luck smiled after six years. She was adopted by Deborah McFadden, the United States Department of Health’s Commissioner of Disabilities.
Her adoptive parent was married to Bridget O’Shaughnessey. The Paralympic champion grew up with two sisters, Ruthi and Hannah. Interestingly, Tatyana McFadden and Hannah McFadden became the first sisters to compete in a Paralympic game.
Where did Tatyana McFadden go to school?
After arriving in America, Tatyana McFadden's parents enrolled her in a formal school. She attended Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland, and the University of Illinois. She was active in different sports but found her strength in racing.
The athlete did not see her disability and always wanted to compete against the able-bodied students in high school but was denied the chance. She sued the school in 2005 and eventually won amid a lot of public attention sprinkled with a bit of hatred from her opponents.
Career and medals
Tatyana McFadden's medals haul is a testament to a successful career. The wheelchair racer is arguably the most decorated athlete in the history of track and field. She won her first international medals in the Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004. She was 15 and the youngest member of the team.
In addition, she has represented the United States in all Paralympic Games since then, winning many medals. So, how many medals has Tatyana McFadden won? This champion has won over 35 medals in her career.
The athlete has 17 Paralympic medals and five New York City Marathon gold medals. At the same time, she has 13 gold medals in the International Paralympic Committee World Championship. Besides, Tatyana McFadden's Winter Paralympics participation in 2014 put a silver medal around her neck.
What is Tatyana McFadden's greatest achievement?
The fascinating Paralympian has her hands in many good things. However, the biggest among them was winning the grand slam four times in a row.
Source: Getty Images
Tatyana McFadden's 2021 Olympics
The Beast is looking to stock up her medal room with more medals from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games, the events were supposed to have taken place last year but were cancelled because of the Coronavirus.
Tatyana McFadden's Tokyo 2021 Paralympic participation will be the fifth of her career. She will compete in five events at this year’s event, including Women’s 5000m, 800m, 1500m, and Marathon.
Is Tatyana McFadden married?
Tatyana McFadden's husband is not in the picture since the Paralympian is not known to be dating anyone at the moment. Nevertheless, fans are patiently looking forward to when news on Tatyana McFadden's relationship would be unveiled.
Net worth
According to the Popular Bio's website, Tatyana McFadden’s net worth is between $1 million and $5 million. She earns from running the tracks in her wheelchair. Besides, she is sponsored by some of the biggest brands around the world, including Nike, BMW, Coca-Cola, and BP Oil.
Tatyana McFadden is an ideal role model if you need the inspiration to keep forging ahead despite your life's troubles. Tatyana McFadden's documentary was profiled in the new Netflix documentary movie, Rising Phoenix. The celebrity athlete’s grass to grace story is one of the most inspiring highlights in the film.
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Source: Briefly News
