Tatyana Mcfadden of the United States celebrates as she wins gold in the Women's 800m T54 Final at the Paralympic Games in London
© • Getty images
Gold medalist Tatyana Mcfadden poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's 400m - T54 Final at the London 2012 Paralympics
© • Getty images
Born with spina bifida in St Petersburg, Russia, McFadden was an unwanted child and was sent to an orphanage, where without a wheelchair, she was left to walk using her hands for the next six years.
In 1994, she was adopted by Debbie McFadden, who was working as the commissioner of disabilities for the USA’s health department, moved to the USA and took up Paralympic Sport to help regain her health.
Ten years after moving to the States, McFadden was representing her newly adopted country at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. At just 15, she was the youngest member of the USA squad but proved age was no barrier by winning a 100m silver medal (16.69) and 200m bronze (30.48).
Two years later at 17, she got her first taste of gold by winning the 100m (16.31) at the 2006 IPC Athletics World Championships. She also won two silvers in the 200m (29.25) and 400m (54.25).
In Beijing, she came up against Canada’s Chantal Petitclerc, an athlete in her prime and who was determined to bow out on a high at her final Paralympic Games.
As a result of Petitclerc’s world record-breaking form, McFadden had to settle for silver in the 200m (28.43), 400m (53.49) and 800m (1:46.95) losing out to the Canadian in each of the races. She also picked up a bronze in the 4x100m T53-53 relay (1:02.16).
Spurred on by the disappointment of not winning Paralympic gold in Beijing, McFadden has been training harder than ever and is determined to finally win gold in London.
And the signs were extremely promising.
At the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in New Zealand she was one of the star performers winning four gold medals, a silver and a bronze.
She took top spot in the 200m (29.33), 400m (54.88), 800m (1:51.10) and 1,500m (3:36.20) – setting Championship records in the two longer distances – and also took silver in the 4x 400m relay (3:57.39) and 100m bronze (16.83).
In London, at her third Games she finally won Paralympic gold not once, but three times. She was top of the podium in the 400m (52.97) in a personal best time, 800m (1:47.01) and in the 1,500m (3:36.42). The 100m heats saw her drawn in different semi-final to her sister Hannah. Whilst Hannah failed to qualify, Tanya went on to secure bronze (16.15).
Off the track, the winner of the Chicago Marathon works as a national advocate for equal access for people with an impairment.
Tatyana McFadden once said - "When someone writes 'disability’, they should cross out the 'dis' and just keep the 'ability,' because I think that everyone is able to do something."
