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Taylor Swanson, Jaleen Roberts finish on Paralympics podium in women’s T37 100-meters

Sprinter Taylor Swanson, 31, who found out a year ago she has cerebral palsy, competed and won in the National Paralympics in March and recently came in second at the World Championship Paralympics. Swanson is preparing to try out for the official Paralympics team in July. She runs the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes and trains with ParaSport Spokane. (COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVI)
By Madison McCord The Spokesman-Review
Sprinter Taylor Swanson, 31, who found out a year ago she has cerebral palsy, competed and won in the National Paralympics in March and recently came in second at the World Championship Paralympics. Swanson is preparing to try out for the official Paralympics team in July. She runs the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes and trains with ParaSport Spokane. (COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVI)

It was twice as nice on the podium for a pair of athletes with area ties as Taylor Swanson and Jaleen Roberts shared a Paralympics podium Thursday.

Swanson, who lives in Spokane, earned the silver and Roberts grabbed the bronze in the women’s T37 100 meters at Stade de France in Paris, separated by just 0.1 seconds.

Swanson crossed the finish line in 13.19 seconds and Roberts followed in 13.29. World-record holder Xiaoyan Wen of China claimed gold in 12.52 – a Paralympic record.

The silver is the first Paralympic medal for Swanson, 31, who didn’t learn until last year that she had cerebral palsy – a condition missed after her adoption from Korea as a baby.

For Roberts, an Eastern Washington grad and two-time Paralympian, the bronze is her fourth medal overall and second of these games following the silver she won in the T37 long jump.

Spokane’s Lindi Marcusen and Hannah Dederick also competed in finals Thursday but did not medal.

Marcusen finished eighth in the women’s T63 long jump with a top leap of 4.37 meters. Dederick earned a fourth-place finish in the women’s T54 400 in 54.68, missing the podium by 0.67 seconds.

Marcusen (T63 100) and wheelchair racers Susannah Scaroni (T54 marathon) and Lauren Fields (T34 800) will compete in their final events Saturday.