WUNRN
PARALYMPICS 2012 - LONDON -
INSPIRING WOMEN ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES
Website Link above Includes Photos
& Captions about Paralympics Women Athletes.
(CNN) -- The number of women competing in the Paralympic Games has doubled in the last two decades, according to figures released by the International Paralympic Committee.
International Paralympic Committee - http://www.paralympic.org/TheIPC/HWA/AboutUs
"Athletes and the Paralympic Games are at the heart of our Movement. Their performances and incredible stories teach the values of acceptance and appreciation for people with a disability. The Paralympic Movement links sport with social awareness thus contributing to the development of a more equitable society with respect and equal opportunities for all individuals."
The
Credit: Getty Images
................................................................................................................
Tatyana
McFadden @TatyanaMcFadden
Country:
United States
McFadden, 23, an 8-time world champion and Paralympics multi-medal winner,
She was
born in Russia with spina bifida, which left her paralyzed from the waist down.
She spent the first six years of her life in a
At 15,
she qualified for the
It was
her first international competition and she shocked everyone by winning a
silver and a bronze. Four years later in
McFadden races in category T54 events, which are among those for athletes who race or throw from a seated position. Paralympic athletics classifications group competitors into classes that allow them to compete against those with similar impairments.
_________________________________________________________