One of the biggest stars of the London 2012 Paralympics is going to Sochi.
Triple 2012 Paralympic track champion Tatyana McFadden was named to the U.S. Paralympic Nordic Skiing Team on Wednesday. The Paralympics run March 7-16 and will be broadcast by NBC Sports and TeamUSA.org.
McFadden, born in Russia and adopted from an orphanage at age 6, captured the first major marathon “Grand Slam” in 2013, sweeping Boston, London, Chicago and New York City.
The 10-time Paralympic track medalist also won six gold medals at the Paralympic track World Championships in July.
She didn’t take up Nordic skiing until the 2012-13 season.
“I think (marathons are) a perfect foundation for cross-country skiing because it takes endurance and it takes strength,” McFadden said before the Nov. 3 New York City Marathon.
McFadden would like to follow in the path of Alana Nichols, the first American woman to win gold medals in the Summer and Winter Paralympics (wheelchair basketball in 2008 and Alpine skiing in 2010).
After Sochi, McFadden has said she will switch back to track and field, running more marathons and readying for the Rio Paralympics.
“They’re both extremely tough (sports),” McFadden said. “Marathons really take a lot of endurance out of you. For skiing, it’s really tough. Not only is it cold, but it also takes a lot of strength to get going.”
