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Wheelchair Racing Legend McFadden Wins 18th Paralympic Medal

McFadden also believes increased media coverage of the Tokyo Paralympics can "transform the world".

"Every banner, every T-shirt that a volunteer wears, you see the Olympic and Paralympic logos," she said.

"That's the first time that's happened at a Games, and that's really important for us. We're really living in the now and it feels like it's only going to go better."

McFadden was born with spina bifida, and is paralysed from the waist down.

She was abandoned at an orphanage in St. Petersburg and did not have a wheelchair, so she learned to walk on her hands.

She was adopted at the age of six by Deborah Mcfadden, who served as commissioner of disabilities under US president George W. Bush.

She then moved to the United States and began wheelchair racing, before making her Paralympic debut at the 2004 Athens Games.

"This is such an exciting movement and I'm just so happy to be in the game," said McFadden, who also competed in cross-country skiing at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

"I think with my abilities, I can go only up from here. I have a while in this sport so I am so excited."

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