Top performances throughout November earned Paralympic track and field athlete Tatyana McFadden (Clarksville, Maryland) and wheelchair tennis player David Wagner (San Diego, California) Athlete of the Month recognition, while the U.S. women’s saber team received Team of the Month honors, the United States Olympic Committee announced today.
McFadden completed her second marathon grand slam after claiming victory Nov. 2 at the 2014 New York City Marathon. McFadden is the only athlete to ever complete the feat of winning the Boston, London, Chicago and New York marathons in a single year, and she has now accomplished the feat two years in a row.
With a 7-1 record in quad wheelchair tennis singles and doubles play throughout November, Wagner is currently ranked No.1 in the world. Wagner became the second-most successful player in masters history when he claimed his seventh singles title at the season-ending 2014 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters, held Nov. 26-30 in London. Wagner also teamed with Nick Taylor (Wichita, Kansas) to win the 2014 Wheelchair Doubles Masters, held Nov. 5-9 in Mission Viejo, California.
The U.S. women’s saber team of Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Oregon), Dagmara Wozniak (Avenel, New Jersey), Ibtihaj Muhammad (Maplewood, New Jersey), Daria Schneider (New York City, New York) and Monica Aksamit (Matawan, New Jersey) retained its No.1 world ranking after capturing the team gold medal at the 2014 Isla de Margarita World Cup, held Nov.1-2 in Venezuela. The Americans defeated France – the 2014 world championship silver medalists – in the semifinals and Russia – the 2012 world champions – in the final. The U.S. team then captured the silver medal at the FIE Saber World Cup, held Nov. 23 in Orleans, France.
Boxer Claressa Shields (Flint, Michigan) finished runner-up and figure skater Gracie Gold (Hermosa Beach, California) claimed third in the female vote. On the men’s side, weightlifter Colin Burns (Monroe, Wisconsin) and gymnast Austin White (Newport Coast, California) earned second and third place. The ice dancing duo of Madison Chock (Novi, Michigan) and Evan Bates (Ann Arbor, Michigan) finished second, while the wheelchair tennis team of Wagner and Taylor finished third in the team category.
Each National Governing Body may nominate one female, one male and one team per discipline. A voting panel selects the winners from the pool of nominees with online fan voting via Twitter accounting for 10 percent of the total vote.
FEMALE
1. Tatyana McFadden, Paralympic Track and Field
2. Claressa Shields, Boxing
3. Gracie Gold, Figure Skating
MALE
1. David Wagner, Wheelchair Tennis
2. Colin Burns, Weightlifting
3. Austin White, Gymnastics
TEAM
1. U.S. Women’s Saber Team, Fencing
2. Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Figure Skating
3. David Wagner and Nick Taylor, Wheelchair Tennis
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