Bloomsday wheelchair races: Tatyana McFadden, Josh George top field

Tatyana McFadden, the best women’s wheelchair marathoner in the world, finally made it to Bloomsday.

McFadden added the Bloomsday open women’s title to her unparalleled resume on Sunday, but not without a big challenge from two-time defending champion Susannah Scaroni.

McFadden, halfway through her pursuit of a third consecutive Grand Slam of Marathoning, took control on Doomsday Hill and finished the 12-kilometer course in 30 minutes, 42 seconds – 9 seconds ahead of Tekoa, Washington, native Scaroni.

“It actually went back and forth between Susannah and I,” the 26-year-old McFadden said. “She beat me on the downs and I beat her on the ups. She was right there on Doomsday Hill climbing with me, then just over that crest I took off and kept going for the next two miles.”

McFadden, of Clarksville, Maryland, and Scaroni, 23, are products of the famous University of Illinois wheelchair program. But McFadden’s long journey to the top of the sport began in Russia.

McFadden was born in St. Petersburg with spina bifida, the congenital developmental disorder that leaves a gap in the spine, causing paralysis from the waist down. She received no medical attention and was sent to an orphanage.

It was there that Deborah McFadden, commissioner of disabilities for the U.S. Department of Health, found her in 1994 and later adopted the 6-year-old who had started calling her “mom.”

The transition was difficult for the frail child, whom some doctors believe wouldn’t live beyond another three years.

But Tatyana dedicated herself to gaining strength and eventually gravitated to wheelchair racing. She made her Paralympic debut in Athens in 2004 and has won the Grand Slam (Boston, New York, London and Chicago) the last two years.

“I’ve always wanted to come here, but I was in school and taking exams,” she said.

“So every year it didn’t quite work out. I was really, really bummed about it. I’ve heard from my teammates how it’s such a great race, and that it’s fast and fun and you get the support from the people of Spokane.”

McFadden scouted the course for the first time on Saturday, keeping an eye open for sharp turns.

“It’s different riding in a car than actually doing it,” she said. “I was a little bit nervous with some of the downhills with the turns, but it turned out really quite wonderful.”

Now she’d like to make Spokane a consistent stop.

“I hope (to return),” she said. “It’s been so much fun. My family lives out here, so it’s been absolutely a wonderful weekend.”

Men

Josh George, 31, won the Indianapolis half-marathon Saturday and arrived at his Spokane hotel at about 10 p.m. He then got up Sunday and won his second straight Bloomsday open title.

“I had a great race today,” said George, who is among the large contingent of athletes from the University of Illinois. “I had a really great start. It was one of the fastest times I’ve gotten down Riverside (Avenue).”

George and fellow teammate Aaron Pike set the pace, but George pulled away for the victory in 26:45. His time was more than two minutes faster than second-place finisher Laurens Molina (28:52) and Pike (29:49).

“To win by over two minutes is fantastic,” he said.

“I love coming back here. It’s such a phenomenal event with the crowds, the race and the festival in the park.”

George, who earlier won at the London Marathon, has been to Spokane seven times for Bloomsday.

“The Indy half-marathon is twice is long,” he said, “but this course is twice as hard.”