Tatyana McFadden, 27, a wheelchair racer and Paralympian, won the ESPN Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly (ESPY) Award for Best Female Athlete With a Disability last night, beating nominees Heather Erikson, Oksana Masters, Shawn Morelli and Bethany Hamilton. McFadden had been nominated six times previously.
In 2013, the Russian-born competitor became the first marathoner to win a grand slam (winning four A Part of Hearst Digital Media events in a single year). To date, she has three consecutive grand slam titles. McFadden looks ahead to number four, having already won the Boston and London Marathons. She’ll compete in Chicago and New York this fall.
The Paralympian gold medalist has won her share of medals in the Paralympics and world championships, ranging from the 100 meters to the marathon.
McFadden heads to Rio in September for the Paralympics and is poised to be the first athlete to win gold in every distance—100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters, 5,000 meters, and the marathon.
McFadden shared her excitement and appreciation on Instagram, “You know when it’s a great show when you laugh and cry in one night!!! Tonight was about celebration and memories. Thank you to everyone who voted!!!! It really takes a village. I love what I do every single day!!!!”
