A World Record, A Historic Record and Two Long Jump Medals: U.S. Para Track & Field Athletes Keep Showing Out in Paris

ST. DENIS, France — Manifestation works.

Before first-time Paralympian Noelle Malkamaki stepped foot into the shot put ring at Stade de France, she already held the world record in the women’s shot put F46. However, that wasn’t good enough for the Decatur, Illinois, native. She wanted more.

“I want to push that record so far out there that nobody can touch it,” she said before her debut.

So far, so good.

On Thursday morning, Malkamaki sent her fourth shot put attempt at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games farther than anyone has ever thrown in the women’s F46 classification. Her heave landed with a thud in the soft infield at 14.06 meters, giving her a new world record and a gold medal.

“It was more overwhelming than I expected,” Malkamaki said with a laugh about how it felt getting her medal on the podium. “I think it’s a moment that I’ve thought about for a long time, just what it would feel like. It was more grand than you would expect.”

The 23-year-old was so confident that she knew her fourth attempted would be a world record even before it landed.

“I felt it mid-throw,” Malkamaki remarked. “My legs felt great today. I actually did a lift this morning and felt strong. I felt powerful. So, in that one throw, I was like, ‘yeah, there’s power behind this one. It’s going far.”

It is the first time anyone in the women’s F46 class has thrown over 14 meters in competition. Coincidentally, Malkamaki also became the second woman to do so after throwing for 14.00 meters on her sixth and final attempt.

“(Manifestation) does amazing things for your confidence,” Malkamaki said. “I think that working with these goals that we set for ourselves – waking up every day and telling myself that I’m going to work hard so I can get just a little bit better today – that’s the thing that grows your self-confidence.”

Reaching the podium never gets old for Tatyana McFadden.

The legendary athlete hit another milestone in her game-changing career after taking silver in the women’s 100-meter T54 event held in the evening session of Para track & field events Wednesday night. The medal marks McFadden’s 20th career Paralympic track & field medal, tying the U.S. record for the most medals in a single Paralympic sport in U.S. history.

“I’m definitely going to take tonight to enjoy it,” McFadden said, noting that she has a few more events to go while in Paris. “I’m going to embrace the journey I’ve been on, getting this 20^th Para track medal. It’s really quite amazing when looking at the longevity of it and to still be really competitive.

McFadden, who races in nearly all distances offered at the Paralympic Games (including the marathon), erupted off the starting line. However, she didn’t execute as well as she had hoped in the middle of the sprint. The unfortunate error led to Belgium’s Lea Beykula passing her over the final 40 meters to claim the top spot on the podium. Finland’s Amanda Kotaja placed third.

“I wish I executed a little bit more with having longer arms,” McFadden said. "It’s been very competitive all season between the three of us, and you can’t make any mistakes because it’s so short. But, I’m really happy to get a medal.”

The 35-year-old who calls Baltimore, Maryland, her hometown also holds one medal from the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, giving her a career Paralympic medal total of 21. With a career spanning seven consecutive Paralympic Games, McFadden noted how incredible it was to be competing in front of a sellout crowd.

“I have to applaud Paris for selling out both the morning sessions and the evening sessions,” McFadden said. “I love competing in Europe. They love track and field.”

Derek Loccident Takes Silver, Jarryd Wallace Grabs Bronze in Men’s Long Jump T64

First-time Paralympian Derek Loccident shared the podium with one of his veteran teammates to round out the night’s track & field events. On his second attempt, the Oklahoma native soared through the air in Stade de France and landed in the sand pit at a length of 7.79 meters, giving him the silver medal.

“The nerves were there,” he said of making his Paralympic debut in his premiere event. “I was a little bit jittery at the beginning until I had my big jump in the second round and I started feeling comfortable.”

During these Games, Loccident was the only U.S. athlete to compete in a running, jumping and throwing event. On Sept. 1, he competed in the men’s 100m T64, placing sixth in his heat while setting a personal best time of 11.29 seconds. The following day, he took to the field to compete in his first field event, the men’s javelin T64 final. The 26-year-old finished 10^th but set another personal best after heaving the spear 47.58 meters. Although he has already experienced an action-packed Games, he still has another event he has to focus on, the high jump.

“I was able to medal at my first high jump event in the world championships in Kobe (in May),” Loccident began. “And I am looking to bring the same intensity I had in the long jump, transferred over to high jump.”

Loccident wasn’t the only American man to finish on the long jump T64 podium. Four-time Paralympian and Georgia native Jarryd Wallace picked up a bronze medal, his first in a field event, after landing a 7.49m jump on his fifth attempt. Originally a sprinter, Wallace switched to long jump after admitting he lost the motivation to compete on the track.

“It’s pretty humbling,” Wallace said. “I’ve been to four games. I’ve competed in four different events at each games. I’ve been fortunate enough to be on the podium in the last two. It’s been a long career, and I’m excited to have my family here (to see it).

“Today was special. I feel like you didn’t get the best version of me today. I left a lot out there on the runway. But, at the same time, there’s just a lot of joy and a lot of fun out there. We had to work for it but we got it done.”

Brendan Rourke is a Digital Media Assistant for the USOPC. Previously, he spend three seasons writing for the NBA's Indiana Pacers.