Tatyana McFadden awarded 2015 Wilma Rudolph Courage Award

Tatyana McFadden has been named the 2015 Wilma Rudolph Courage Award winner ©Twitter

Ten-times Paralympic medallist Tatyana McFadden was presented with the 2015 Wilma Rudolph Courage Award by the Women’s Sports Foundation in New York.

The award, which has now been awarded every year since 1996, is given to an American athlete who has demonstrated courage in athletic performance, displayed their ability to overcome adversity and served as a role model.

McFadden claimed a hat-trick of gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympics and has proved to be a dominant force on the women’s T54 marathon circuit.

The 26-year-old’s next target is claiming a third successive marathon grand slam by winning the New York Marathon on November 1, having claimed victories at all four major marathons - London, Boston, Chicago and New York - in 2013 and 2014.

Her participation at the event means she has opted to miss the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships which are presently underway in Doha, Qatar.

In addition to claiming 10 world titles McFadden, who also won a silver medal in the cross country skiing at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics, has proved to be a key advocate in improving rights for disabled people.

Alongside her mother, McFadden’s influence was viewed as crucial to the passing of the Maryland Fitness and Athletics Equity for Students with Disabilities Act in 2005.

Tatyana McFadden is bidding to complete a third successive marathon grand slam ©Getty Images

The act has made it mandatory for schools to provide competitive opportunities for students with impairments in interscholastic athletic programmes throughout the United States.

Upon receiving the award McFadden told the audience, who had gathered for the 36th edition of the event, that “if you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed".

Past recipients have included London 2012 judo gold medallist Kayla Harrison and 18-time tennis Grand Slam singles champion Martina Navratilova.

Another tennis great Serena Williams was also honoured on the night as the winner of the individual Sportswoman of the Year award, having won three Grand Slam titles in 2015, while Carli Lloyd picked up the team honour having helped the United States women’s football team win the World Cup in July.