Md. Woman Rolls Into Marathon Titles In Boston, London, Chicago & New York

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—An incredible win. A Howard County athlete rolled her way to yet another marathon title.

Jessica Kartalija explains the 24-year-old won the wheelchair division of the New York City Marathon, but says she's just getting started.

Tatyana McFadden set a goal for herself this year: to win four marathons. The athlete did just that.

A record number of runners took part in the New York City Marathon on Sunday. Among those competing, the most dominant marathoner in the world: Maryland's own Tatyana McFadden.

"This marathon really closed out my season, so just to win it, you know, it's an incredible feeling," McFadden said.

The 24-year-old from Howard County won the women's wheelchair division in just one hour, 59 minutes and 13 seconds.

It was her fourth marathon title this year--winning London, Chicago and Boston, where she crossed the line just hours before bombs exploded at the finish line.

"I am definitely exhausted," she said. "I am feeling the tiredness and fatigue from the marathon yesterday."

McFadden lives in Clarksville, while home from college at the University of Illinois.  Born with spina bifida, she was adopted from Russia when she was six.

"It's amazing. It's my hometown and just having their support is absolutely wonderful," she said.

Her marathon wins surround a dominant performance at the Paralympics World Championships in Paris.

"I've won everything this year.  From the 100 meters through the 5,000 on the track, plus all the marathons, so it's just been an incredible, incredible season, and to have the support is incredible," McFadden said.

McFadden was once part of the Bennett Blazers, the adaptive sports program at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute.

Next stop is Russia, where she will try to add a gold medal in cross-country skiing.

McFadden made national headlines in 2005 with her legal battle to compete beside able-bodied athletes at Atholton High School in Columbia.

Maryland passed the Fitness and Athletic Equity Law for Students with Disabilities act in 2008.

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