Adam Bleakney, Joshua George, Tatyana McFadden, and Shierly Reily have qualified for the 2012 Paralympics.

Four Qualify for 2012 Paralympics

Four U.S. wheelchair racers qualified for the 2012 Paralympic Games marathon event based on their performances at Sunday's (October 9) Chicago Marathon.

View Forum | Print Article | Font Size + / - | Back

The top two American finishers for both the male and female wheelchair divisions will represent Team USA in London next year. On the men's side, Joshua George (Champaign, Ill.) took third place overall, but was the first American male to finish in 1:29:23. Univ. of Illinois wheelchair racing head coach Adam Bleakney (Champaign, Ill.) finished in the fifth overall position in 1:29:57, also securing a spot on the U.S. roster to compete in the marathon at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. In women's competition, Tatyana McFadden (Champaign, Ill.), who narrowly missed setting a new course record, won the competition in 1:45:00 while also locking up her spot on the U.S. team in London.

Teammate Shirley Reilly (Tucson, Ariz.) was the second U.S. woman to secure a bid to London with her fourth overall finish in 1:47:53. Amanda McGrory (Champaign, Ill.), a strong marathon contender who won silver in Beijing at 2008 Paralympic Games, did not finish due to equipment failure. "I could not be happier with the efforts of our athletes and the Chicago Marathon, said Head Coach and Director of Paralympic Track  High Performance Cathy Sellers. "Our athletes put on a great show. This is a very solid team of marathoners, and I know they will all be very competitive in London."

To order the SPORTS 'N SPOKES, Click Here.
To Subscribe, Click Here.