Cheri Madsen celebrates at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships on Nov. 8, 2019 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Cheri Madsen (Nebraska City, Nebraska) secured the first medal for Team USA at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, claiming bronze in the women’s 100-meter T54 at the Dubai Club for People of Determination.

The first for Team USA - In a final that saw three Team USA athletes compete for the podium, Madsen put Team USA on the medal table as she pushed to the bronze medal in a season-best time of 16.42. Madsen was joined in the final by Hannah Dederick (Liberty Lake, Washington) and Hannah McFadden (Clarksville, Maryland), who placed sixth and seventh, respectively. 

Romanchuk rolls to the finals -  Daniel Romanchuk (Mount Airy, Maryland), who won the New York City Marathon only five days ago, had the fastest time of the day (1:35.54) in the heats of the men’s 800 T54 to secure his spot in Saturday’s final. 

Team USA Trios - Two finals on Saturday will feature three Team USA athletes. In the men’s 200 T64, Kevan Hueftle (Eustis, Nebraska), David Prince (Atlanta, Georgia) and Jerome Singleton (Irmo, South Carolina) will all sprint for the podium, while Raymond Martin (Jersey City, New Jersey), Gianfranco Iannotta (Garfield, New Jersey) and Isaiah Rigo (Cheney, Washington) will all compete in the 400 T52. 

Team USA Results from Nov. 8

1 medal (1 bronze)

Bronze (1): Cheri Madsen (Nebraska City, Neb.), women’s 100 T54 (16.42)

Full results can be found on the World Para Athletics Championships website.

Quotes

Cheri Madsen

“I am surprised. That’s a tough one. The 100 is hard and these girls are all so fast. This is the fastest I’ve pushed all season, so that’s good.”

“Hannah McFadden and I have gone back and forth in the 100 over the years. She’s always such a strong competitor. You never know, she could be right there at any time. Hannah Dederick...Wow, watch out, she’s really fast, she’s a great up-and-comer.”

Daniel Romanchuk

“It was nice weather right now - I was expecting it to be a little warmer than it is - but everything is going well. The chair is working well. All around, it was a great day. I wasn’t looking too much at my time tonight, I was just looking to move onto the next round.”

“I have great coaches and great teammates. A lot of things coming together. All the support that I’ve had - family, friends, sponsors.”

Looking Forward

Saturday morning kicks off with the women’s 200 T64 final, which features Femita Ayanbeku (Boston, Massachusetts), Sydney Barta (Arlington, Virginia) and Beatriz Hatz (Lakewood, Colorado). In the evening, the lights will shine on Amanda McGrory (Kennett Square, Pennsylvania), Susannah Scaroni (Champaign, Illinois) and McFadden as they race in the 800 T54.

How to Watch

Team USA fans can catch all the action of the World Para Athletics Championships on the Olympic Channel. Every evening session will be aired on Olympic Channel, while fans can stream morning sessions at OlympicChannel.com. The full schedule can be found on OlympicChannel.com.

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