Six athletes with Spokane ties named to U.S. Paralympic track and field team for Paris games

Eyes from around the world will be on Paris over the next month as the best athletes in the world compete in the Olympics and Paralympics, but the latter event will have a much stronger pull for fans in Inland Northwest.

Six women with ties to the region have been chosen to the United States Paralympics track and field team, following last weekend’s team trials in Miramar, Florida.

The group is headlined by reigning Paralympic gold medalist Susannah Scaroni, of Tekoa, Washington. Scaroni won gold in the 5,000 meters during the 2021 games in Tokyo.

Now on her fourth Paralympics team, Scaroni set qualifying marks at the trails in the T54 5,000 meters, 1,500, 800 and 400. She also qualified for the marathon event late last year.

She’ll be joined by fellow Paralympic returnees Hannah Dederick and Jaleen Roberts – both of whom are competing in their second Paralympics.

Dederick, of Mead, finished in the top three in the T54 100, 400 and 800 to secure her spot on the team.

Roberts, from Kent, Washington, who attended Eastern Washington University – won the T37 long jump and was second in the T37-38 100.

ParaSport Spokane team members and first-time Paralympians include Spokane’s Taylor Swanson, Lindi Marcusen and Lauren Fields.

Swanson set an American record in the T37-38 100 in 12.69 seconds and also winning the 200.

Marcusen set an American record in the T63 100 in 14.87 , and Felds qualified in the T34 100 and 800.

The Paralympics begin Aug. 28 and run through Sept. 8.

Track and field events will take place Aug. 30 through Sept. 8.